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Before I Let You In
'I just couldn't put this book down, and ended up reading until 1.30am... What a roller coaster of a ride! Absolutely loved it!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐She knows you better than you know yourself.Karen is meant to be the one who fixes problems.It's her job, as a psychiatrist - and it's always been her role as a friend.But Jessica is different. She should be the patient, the one that Karen helps.But she knows things about Karen. Her friends, her personal life. Things no patient should know.And Karen is starting to wonder if she should have let her in . . .A chilling, unputdownable thriller from the bestselling author of How I Lost You. Fans of Claire Douglas, Gillian McAllister and Cara Hunter.
Readers LOVE Before I Let You 'A captivating, twisty and satisfying tale' Gillian McAllister'Such a clever twist' Claire McGowan'Compelling, disturbing and thoroughly enjoyable' Sharon Bolton'An unnerving psychological thriller with a stonking final twist' Sunday Mirror'Gripping and relatable. I loved it' Helen Fitzgerald'Genuinely unsettling... nuanced and gripping' Catherine Ryan Howard'Amazing!... heart-stopping, confusing, claustrophobic, amazing, terrifying!' chillerskillersandthrillers.wordpress.com'A page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing... just brilliant!' havebookswillread.com'A definite winner!... dark, compelling and disturbing' off-the-shelfbooks.blogspot.co.uk
Readers LOVE Before I Let You 'A captivating, twisty and satisfying tale' Gillian McAllister'Such a clever twist' Claire McGowan'Compelling, disturbing and thoroughly enjoyable' Sharon Bolton'An unnerving psychological thriller with a stonking final twist' Sunday Mirror'Gripping and relatable. I loved it' Helen Fitzgerald'Genuinely unsettling... nuanced and gripping' Catherine Ryan Howard'Amazing!... heart-stopping, confusing, claustrophobic, amazing, terrifying!' chillerskillersandthrillers.wordpress.com'A page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing... just brilliant!' havebookswillread.com'A definite winner!... dark, compelling and disturbing' off-the-shelfbooks.blogspot.co.uk
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 621 reviews
June 10, 2018
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Karen, Eleanor, and Bea have been best friends since they were little. Now in their thirties, they are all living very different lives. Karen has a serious boyfriend, Eleanor is married with children, and Bea is single.
But they are always there for each other. They know everything about each other.
Or at least ….they think they do.
The truth is they are all keeping secrets.
Eleanor loves being a mother, though she is still getting used to it. She has also been forgetting things lately and Eleanor NEVER forgets things. It must be because she’s tired. She wonders what her friends would think if they knew the truth.
“Eleanor the star, Eleanor the super-mum. Eleanor the selfish, lying actress.”
Bea loves being single….she says. She can do what she wants when she wants. Though there are times that she's lonely. And lately things have happened that have triggered memories of her past, things she thought she put behind her. The nightmares that she hasn’t had in a long time are back, and she wakes screaming… “Don’t go…don’t go…don’t go.”
Karen is a psychiatrist. She’s also the “fixer” when it comes to her friends. Her friends know they can rely on her. She's proud of what she has achieved. She loves her job, her boyfriend, and her friends. But Karen has some secrets of her own.
Karen is about to meet a new client, Jessica Hamilton. All she knows is that Jessica is twenty-three years old and that she has been having tension headaches and irrational thoughts. When they first meet the first thing Jessica says is…
“You can’t fix me”
Jessica is aggressive and seems to want to challenge Karen. The more Jessica talks, the more unsettled Karen feels. Things Jessica says hit a bit too close to home. Jessica likes to shock Karen with her answers and seems to know quite a bit about Karen’s private life....
But how could that be?
How could Jessica possibly know so much about Karen AND her friends? Or could this just be a coincidence? Are the people in her life in danger? And if so, what can Karen do about it?
Well, this was quite a book. I enjoy stories about friendship and I liked the fact that these women had been friends since early childhood. When you’ve known someone so long, you really think you know all there is to know about them…but that's not always the case.
Jenny Blackhurst has written a story that shows just how complex friendship can be. This novel has it all… secrets, betrayal, and obsession. This was an excellent read with well-developed, interesting characters and a gripping plot.
I devoured this novel. I had so many different ideas about what was going on that I just had to see if I was right about any of them. This was a compelling and intense read. Though I was correct about a few things, some great twists caught me by surprise and I was shocked by how it all played out.
“ Before I Let You In” was my first read from Jenny Blackhurst. This was an excellent psychological suspense novel that pulled me in from the start and held my interest until the very last page. I am excited to read more from this talented author.
I'd like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Karen, Eleanor, and Bea have been best friends since they were little. Now in their thirties, they are all living very different lives. Karen has a serious boyfriend, Eleanor is married with children, and Bea is single.
But they are always there for each other. They know everything about each other.
Or at least ….they think they do.
The truth is they are all keeping secrets.
Eleanor loves being a mother, though she is still getting used to it. She has also been forgetting things lately and Eleanor NEVER forgets things. It must be because she’s tired. She wonders what her friends would think if they knew the truth.
“Eleanor the star, Eleanor the super-mum. Eleanor the selfish, lying actress.”
Bea loves being single….she says. She can do what she wants when she wants. Though there are times that she's lonely. And lately things have happened that have triggered memories of her past, things she thought she put behind her. The nightmares that she hasn’t had in a long time are back, and she wakes screaming… “Don’t go…don’t go…don’t go.”
Karen is a psychiatrist. She’s also the “fixer” when it comes to her friends. Her friends know they can rely on her. She's proud of what she has achieved. She loves her job, her boyfriend, and her friends. But Karen has some secrets of her own.
Karen is about to meet a new client, Jessica Hamilton. All she knows is that Jessica is twenty-three years old and that she has been having tension headaches and irrational thoughts. When they first meet the first thing Jessica says is…
“You can’t fix me”
Jessica is aggressive and seems to want to challenge Karen. The more Jessica talks, the more unsettled Karen feels. Things Jessica says hit a bit too close to home. Jessica likes to shock Karen with her answers and seems to know quite a bit about Karen’s private life....
But how could that be?
How could Jessica possibly know so much about Karen AND her friends? Or could this just be a coincidence? Are the people in her life in danger? And if so, what can Karen do about it?
Well, this was quite a book. I enjoy stories about friendship and I liked the fact that these women had been friends since early childhood. When you’ve known someone so long, you really think you know all there is to know about them…but that's not always the case.
Jenny Blackhurst has written a story that shows just how complex friendship can be. This novel has it all… secrets, betrayal, and obsession. This was an excellent read with well-developed, interesting characters and a gripping plot.
I devoured this novel. I had so many different ideas about what was going on that I just had to see if I was right about any of them. This was a compelling and intense read. Though I was correct about a few things, some great twists caught me by surprise and I was shocked by how it all played out.
“ Before I Let You In” was my first read from Jenny Blackhurst. This was an excellent psychological suspense novel that pulled me in from the start and held my interest until the very last page. I am excited to read more from this talented author.
I'd like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2016
* Thank you to Netgalley and Headline publishing for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Hold The Front Page! Just when I thought the psychological thrillers I've been reading couldn't get any better - along comes 'Before I Let You In' and it just blows me away.
Karen, Eleanor and Bea have been close friends ever since starting school. Now, as adults, they still meet up for coffee on a regular basis, and keep in touch in between. Karen is the 'fixer', she has always assumed the role of 'mother hen', looking out for her friends and being there for them in times of need. This friendship though, is about to be overwhelmed by events that will knock the living daylights out of them.
Jenny Blackhurst has written a cracking psychological thriller here, it's complex and very clever as she reveals a loose thread within this friendship that will completely unravel in a most scary and devastating manner. The characters were great, the plot was superb, and I believe it deserves every one of those 5 stars that I've rated it - completely and utterly gripping!
Hold The Front Page! Just when I thought the psychological thrillers I've been reading couldn't get any better - along comes 'Before I Let You In' and it just blows me away.
Karen, Eleanor and Bea have been close friends ever since starting school. Now, as adults, they still meet up for coffee on a regular basis, and keep in touch in between. Karen is the 'fixer', she has always assumed the role of 'mother hen', looking out for her friends and being there for them in times of need. This friendship though, is about to be overwhelmed by events that will knock the living daylights out of them.
Jenny Blackhurst has written a cracking psychological thriller here, it's complex and very clever as she reveals a loose thread within this friendship that will completely unravel in a most scary and devastating manner. The characters were great, the plot was superb, and I believe it deserves every one of those 5 stars that I've rated it - completely and utterly gripping!
April 6, 2018
Holy schmoly, man! Where have I been?! Jenny Blackhurst, you are one amazing writer! You know a book is good when you take the time to stop and thank the author on Facebook for putting out some stunning work, which is exactly what I did.
Fast-paced, addictive, suspenseful - couldn’t put it down, loved it all. And can we talk about cover love? Gorgeous!
A story about deep-seeded, long term friendship and how someone comes along who knows way more about them than they should - I’m not saying any more as this is all you need to know.
I was blown away with this one, even though I figured out the twist early on (seriously wish I could turn of my inner detective and just enjoy the story, but it persists) - usually if I figure it out it’s a bummer for me but this one was so good I didn’t even care!
There are one or two steamy scenes, so heads up, reader. They didn’t feel gratuitous at all, but definitely complemented the storyline.
So glad this one is coming to the US. Now to go check out this author’s other books. Seriously, where have I been?!
Thank you to Netgalley, Jenny Blackhurst, and Atria Books for a copy of this fab book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Fast-paced, addictive, suspenseful - couldn’t put it down, loved it all. And can we talk about cover love? Gorgeous!
A story about deep-seeded, long term friendship and how someone comes along who knows way more about them than they should - I’m not saying any more as this is all you need to know.
I was blown away with this one, even though I figured out the twist early on (seriously wish I could turn of my inner detective and just enjoy the story, but it persists) - usually if I figure it out it’s a bummer for me but this one was so good I didn’t even care!
There are one or two steamy scenes, so heads up, reader. They didn’t feel gratuitous at all, but definitely complemented the storyline.
So glad this one is coming to the US. Now to go check out this author’s other books. Seriously, where have I been?!
Thank you to Netgalley, Jenny Blackhurst, and Atria Books for a copy of this fab book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
April 10, 2018
5 Oh My Stars! to Before I Let You In! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I saw an ecstatic teaser from my friend, Melisa, and knew I had to read Before I Let You In asap. Not only did I have it in my hot little hands the same day, I devoured it in 24 hours!
The scoop. Before I Let You In is about three close friends who seem to have it all. Bea is single and enjoying it. Eleanor is happily married with kids. Karen is a psychiatrist in a long-term relationship. One day, a new patient of Karen’s starts offering information piece-by-piece that could only be about Karen and her friends. Shake all those ingredients up and BAM. Explosions in all kinds of directions.
So what? I may have figured out most of the twists before they were revealed, but it did not matter. I had to keep reading because 1. The book is perfectly written with exceptional pacing. 2. You bet your sweet bippy I had to know if I was right.
Bottom line. Before I Let You In is a fresh thriller in a market where that’s not always easy! Having a main character as a psychiatrist instantly lured me in, and I enjoyed every racing heartbeat I experienced playing detective while devouring this remarkable story.
Thank you to Jenny Blackhurst (please keep writing!), Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for the ARC. Before I Let You In is now available!
I saw an ecstatic teaser from my friend, Melisa, and knew I had to read Before I Let You In asap. Not only did I have it in my hot little hands the same day, I devoured it in 24 hours!
The scoop. Before I Let You In is about three close friends who seem to have it all. Bea is single and enjoying it. Eleanor is happily married with kids. Karen is a psychiatrist in a long-term relationship. One day, a new patient of Karen’s starts offering information piece-by-piece that could only be about Karen and her friends. Shake all those ingredients up and BAM. Explosions in all kinds of directions.
So what? I may have figured out most of the twists before they were revealed, but it did not matter. I had to keep reading because 1. The book is perfectly written with exceptional pacing. 2. You bet your sweet bippy I had to know if I was right.
Bottom line. Before I Let You In is a fresh thriller in a market where that’s not always easy! Having a main character as a psychiatrist instantly lured me in, and I enjoyed every racing heartbeat I experienced playing detective while devouring this remarkable story.
Thank you to Jenny Blackhurst (please keep writing!), Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for the ARC. Before I Let You In is now available!
April 16, 2018
Three best friends, Karen, Bea and Eleanor. They are always there for each other. In a heart-beat they’d drop whatever they’re doing to help. I mean, that’s what best friends do…right?
Karen is busy creating a successful psychiatrist practice, and another new client just walked through the door. Only this new client seems to want more than a therapy session from Karen. It’s not long before she realizes this patient will rock the foundation of the tight bonds between these 3 women.
Told from points of view of all three friends. The storyline weaves back and forth between the women as they desperately struggle to hold on to their friendship and their families. Lies will be revealed, leaving all three wondering how well they ever really knew one another. If indeed they ever did.
This was my first read from this author and I just loved how she effortlessly spun the storyline together between these friends. I was joyfully hooked from the first chapter and enjoyed it right to the very end. Highly recommend!
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Jennifer! 🌸
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Jenny Blackhurst for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog for more Traveling Sister Group reviews:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Karen is busy creating a successful psychiatrist practice, and another new client just walked through the door. Only this new client seems to want more than a therapy session from Karen. It’s not long before she realizes this patient will rock the foundation of the tight bonds between these 3 women.
Told from points of view of all three friends. The storyline weaves back and forth between the women as they desperately struggle to hold on to their friendship and their families. Lies will be revealed, leaving all three wondering how well they ever really knew one another. If indeed they ever did.
This was my first read from this author and I just loved how she effortlessly spun the storyline together between these friends. I was joyfully hooked from the first chapter and enjoyed it right to the very end. Highly recommend!
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Jennifer! 🌸
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Jenny Blackhurst for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog for more Traveling Sister Group reviews:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
April 2, 2017
So, apparently I've been living under a rock... since I've just now established this amazing author! Jenny Blackhurst is wonderful!!!!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.... this book was Fantastical (Kendall doing her happy read dance right now :):)). Beautiful and glorious 5 stars for this one ladies and gents!!!
Just when I thought I wouldn't find a better psychological thriller.. "Before I let you In" came along and was a nicely wrapped present under my Christmas tree. WOW.. seriously this left me speechless and blew me away. This story is about a trio of girlfriends (Eleanor, Bea, and Karen) who have been friends since high school. And well, haha these ladies are about to have a snowball effect of events that hit the fan literally!
This has ALL of the things that you want in a psychological thriller.
1. Main characters that you can easily connect with
2. Obsessively turning the pages to continue reading
3. Jaw-dropping twist (that leaves your mouth open for literally 5 minutes.. not kidding lol)
I cannot recommend this book enough to all of my friends on here! I don't want to dive too much into the plot because I don't want to give anything away. I LOVED LOVED this book! Jenny has climbed to the top of my favorite authors! Looking forward to reading more from her! :)
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.... this book was Fantastical (Kendall doing her happy read dance right now :):)). Beautiful and glorious 5 stars for this one ladies and gents!!!
Just when I thought I wouldn't find a better psychological thriller.. "Before I let you In" came along and was a nicely wrapped present under my Christmas tree. WOW.. seriously this left me speechless and blew me away. This story is about a trio of girlfriends (Eleanor, Bea, and Karen) who have been friends since high school. And well, haha these ladies are about to have a snowball effect of events that hit the fan literally!
This has ALL of the things that you want in a psychological thriller.
1. Main characters that you can easily connect with
2. Obsessively turning the pages to continue reading
3. Jaw-dropping twist (that leaves your mouth open for literally 5 minutes.. not kidding lol)
I cannot recommend this book enough to all of my friends on here! I don't want to dive too much into the plot because I don't want to give anything away. I LOVED LOVED this book! Jenny has climbed to the top of my favorite authors! Looking forward to reading more from her! :)
June 28, 2018
3.5 STARS
I read Blackhurst's first novel last year and thoroughly enjoyed it; it was dark and twisty and emotional, all three things I look for in my psychological thrillers. Before I Let You In was another well written novel, and I think I would classify this more as a domestic drama than a thriller of sorts, but maybe this was characterized as such due to the nature of some of the more unsettling content. While I did have the mystery figured out fairly early on, the writing was solid and I feel readers who are not as experienced in the psychological thriller genre will be blown away by this one. If you enjoy twisty, domestic thrillers, give this one a go!
Review copy furnished by the publisher.
I read Blackhurst's first novel last year and thoroughly enjoyed it; it was dark and twisty and emotional, all three things I look for in my psychological thrillers. Before I Let You In was another well written novel, and I think I would classify this more as a domestic drama than a thriller of sorts, but maybe this was characterized as such due to the nature of some of the more unsettling content. While I did have the mystery figured out fairly early on, the writing was solid and I feel readers who are not as experienced in the psychological thriller genre will be blown away by this one. If you enjoy twisty, domestic thrillers, give this one a go!
Review copy furnished by the publisher.
April 20, 2018
I loved the setup of the Psychiatrist analyzing the patient (who was at the same time analyzing the doctor). Whoa...
The doctors name is Karen and she is very close to her friends Bea and Eleanor. They are like three peas in a pod. Someone is playing tricks and mind games with them. Just who is the crazy one? The story spins off into many situations that leaves you wondering…. who it is. You know when you lose things and can’t find them, and end up feeling a little crazy, this is happening to the ladies (in some uh um…compromising situations).
An entertaining and fast read, even though I had it figured out early on. It is twisty with a never-ending supply of suspense. I would recommend.
June 18, 2019
Q: ‘Listen and help, doesn’t sound very proactive to me. Why is it that people pay you so much money just to act as a brick wall? What’s so special about you?’ (c)
Q: ‘You can’t fix me.’ (c)
Q: Aren’t we all quite the Pollyannas? (c)
Control's a big point in this novel. Control and obsession. Lots of those.
Karen... well, she's not a very good psychologist. She... basically has way too many issues of her own to be effective in this field. Many people will not agree with this POV but that's actually a practice thing. Psychologists who want to get to the top and stay there go to psychologists of their own. Not just Robert, occasionally.
The jumping POV was a really good thing for this novel. A very effective creative solution that allowed it to have the insight into most of the important characters without it feeling too intrusive or plastic or made-up.
The twist... not too believable. It was more like 'she flew off the handle'.
The ending... well. Very cramped up and it's probably not making too much sense. It was of the 'she's crazy and therefore she does crazy stuff in crazy ways'.
Q:
I know what you’re doing. I know what you’ve done. (c) The crazy viper women strike!
Q:
She understood it in the same way as she understood professional men who visited prostitutes; it wasn’t about the money or the silence, it was about the control. (c)
Q:
Eight years of psychiatry had taught her reactions to hover below the surface, never breaking through to the onlooker. The ultimate poker player. (c)
Q:
... sat back on the chair facing Jessica. It was purposely an inch lower than the sofa, giving her patients the sense of control many didn’t feel in the outside world. (c)
Q:
Jessica Hamilton was no different to anyone else. And yet that was how she felt: different. (c)
Q:
Karen couldn’t stand bad language; it made her feel uncomfortable and insecure. She supposed it stemmed from her days at school, reminding her of the goody-goody she’d been, afraid to use bad words while the cool kids peppered their conversation with gutter talk. Or maybe from before that. Long before. (c) I don't think this psychologist is much good with her profession. Not with this.
Q:
I messed with a few things on her calendar, made sure she missed a few appointments. It made me feel good, in control.’ ...
I’ve been so busy at work that last week I missed a dentist’s appointment and a talk by a leading psychiatrist that I’d been looking forward to for months. Clean forgot to write them on the calendar.’...
I’m losing things, forgetting things … My keys went missing for a week, I got new ones cut, and do you know where I found them? In my underwear drawer. God only knows how they got in there. It’s enough to make you question your sanity. (c) Red-red herring!
Q:
Travis Yapp was the embodiment of every cuss word Bea had ever uttered. ... Travis had impressed the right people, said and done everything that was expected of him. Karen didn’t like the implication that she hadn’t. (c) Seriously? This is a special issue that many careerist overachievers share.
Q:
She hadn’t really believed in the whole glass-ceiling thing when she was at university, but the doubt she’d held so strongly about its existence was beginning to wane. (c)
Q:
They teach it on the first day of the “Aren’t You Glad You Have a Penis” course. (c)
Q:
She might not have the family she’d hoped for as a child but at least she had her career – finally she felt her choices were going to be vindicated. (c)
Q:
Obsession. It starts slowly, like a train pulling out of a station. You can still see the houses and trees around you, you can still make out the details of people in their windows or dark green tractors in their light green fields; then it starts to gain momentum, and the houses are still there, but the people aren’t visible in the windows any more. Colours start to blur, dark green bleeds into light, and you realise that if you don’t find a way to get off now, you are going to spin off the track altogether. (c)
Q:
A series of unfortunate events that jolted our lives off their tracks. Sliding-door moments, they call them. (c)
Q:
in that instant I almost felt the flapping of the butterfly wings that would cause a tsunami in our lives. (c)
Q:
Excitement at doing something that was just for her. (c)
Q:
How anyone got through their lives without a set of bullet-pointed tasks to guide them, she would never understand. (c)
Q:
When did it become socially acceptable to sit in someone’s house and hold conversations with people not even in the room? How would they react if she got out a book and started reading it in front of them? (c) Love it!
Q:
People responded to you differently when you were well turned out; you were treated with less suspicion. Just because you spent an extra half an hour slicking on some make-up on top of the mask you already wore day after day, it was assumed you knew what you were doing. If you were presentable you must be okay. You could maintain a modicum of control. (c)
Q:
Feeling slightly smug about how much better than her colleagues she was going to feel in the morning, she left the office without so much as a backward glance, but still keenly aware of the sidelong looks her friends were giving one another. (c)
Q:
When in actual fact she wasn’t desperate to be loved by another person; all she wanted was to feel the slightest bit of affection for herself.
Bea wanted to be a success at something. Anything. (c)
Q:
Cognitive dissonance, wasn’t that what Karen called it? This feeling that two separate people existed inside her, constantly fighting to take control of her thoughts. (c)
Q:
It was nothing to do with hiding things; she just didn’t feel like pretending any more than she already was. (c)
Q:
Facebook... Karen thought they might as well have printed out timetables and stuck them up at random bus stops around town – along with a miniature map powered by Google and pictures with blurred backgrounds and faded edges. (c)
Q:
A counterfeit greeting for counterfeit friends, pulled together by grim circumstance. (c)
Q:
I threw on my bright and breezy voice like a silk scarf... (c)
Q:
This was the part where our conversation would go one of two ways – neither particularly appealing. It was a toss-up between abusive or suicidal. Sometimes it would be both. (c)
Q:
Your life, I told myself through gritted teeth, is defined by the rules you have vowed to abide by. If you lose sight of those, you lose everything. It could all come slipping down round you, the snowdrift that is your life becoming an avalanche that will bury you alive. It wasn’t the fear that I could have been caught that caused self-loathing to bubble under my surface like tar on a hot road – when you have had the worst possible thing happen to you, that kind of fear is as ridiculous as being afraid of monsters under the bed. I hadn’t been caught. But I had lost control. (c)
Q:
This whole life was warmer than mine. It wasn’t that she was much better off financially; just that her life was richer in colour where mine was grayscale. (c)
Q:
But the mind is a wonderful and terrifying machine. (c)
Q:
...I had spent years being made to believe I was a stupid, bad person, that I couldn’t be trusted. I had been conditioned to see someone useless and unworthy of love when I looked in the mirror. And like a self-fulfilling prophecy, that was what my life became. A life without a future. So I clung to what I had... (c)
Q:
‘And what happens to you when they don’t need you any more?’
‘That’s not going to happen,’ she replied confidently. ‘They will always need me.’ (c)
Q:
Psychology excited her: the way the past could account for much of the present, the way people’s actions could be examined and understood. People were literally textbook. There was rarely a problem that couldn’t be explained by careful assessment of the factors. (c)
Q: ‘You can’t fix me.’ (c)
Q: Aren’t we all quite the Pollyannas? (c)
Control's a big point in this novel. Control and obsession. Lots of those.
Karen... well, she's not a very good psychologist. She... basically has way too many issues of her own to be effective in this field. Many people will not agree with this POV but that's actually a practice thing. Psychologists who want to get to the top and stay there go to psychologists of their own. Not just Robert, occasionally.
The jumping POV was a really good thing for this novel. A very effective creative solution that allowed it to have the insight into most of the important characters without it feeling too intrusive or plastic or made-up.
The twist... not too believable. It was more like 'she flew off the handle'.
The ending... well. Very cramped up and it's probably not making too much sense. It was of the 'she's crazy and therefore she does crazy stuff in crazy ways'.
Q:
I know what you’re doing. I know what you’ve done. (c) The crazy viper women strike!
Q:
She understood it in the same way as she understood professional men who visited prostitutes; it wasn’t about the money or the silence, it was about the control. (c)
Q:
Eight years of psychiatry had taught her reactions to hover below the surface, never breaking through to the onlooker. The ultimate poker player. (c)
Q:
... sat back on the chair facing Jessica. It was purposely an inch lower than the sofa, giving her patients the sense of control many didn’t feel in the outside world. (c)
Q:
Jessica Hamilton was no different to anyone else. And yet that was how she felt: different. (c)
Q:
Karen couldn’t stand bad language; it made her feel uncomfortable and insecure. She supposed it stemmed from her days at school, reminding her of the goody-goody she’d been, afraid to use bad words while the cool kids peppered their conversation with gutter talk. Or maybe from before that. Long before. (c) I don't think this psychologist is much good with her profession. Not with this.
Q:
I messed with a few things on her calendar, made sure she missed a few appointments. It made me feel good, in control.’ ...
I’ve been so busy at work that last week I missed a dentist’s appointment and a talk by a leading psychiatrist that I’d been looking forward to for months. Clean forgot to write them on the calendar.’...
I’m losing things, forgetting things … My keys went missing for a week, I got new ones cut, and do you know where I found them? In my underwear drawer. God only knows how they got in there. It’s enough to make you question your sanity. (c) Red-red herring!
Q:
Travis Yapp was the embodiment of every cuss word Bea had ever uttered. ... Travis had impressed the right people, said and done everything that was expected of him. Karen didn’t like the implication that she hadn’t. (c) Seriously? This is a special issue that many careerist overachievers share.
Q:
She hadn’t really believed in the whole glass-ceiling thing when she was at university, but the doubt she’d held so strongly about its existence was beginning to wane. (c)
Q:
They teach it on the first day of the “Aren’t You Glad You Have a Penis” course. (c)
Q:
She might not have the family she’d hoped for as a child but at least she had her career – finally she felt her choices were going to be vindicated. (c)
Q:
Obsession. It starts slowly, like a train pulling out of a station. You can still see the houses and trees around you, you can still make out the details of people in their windows or dark green tractors in their light green fields; then it starts to gain momentum, and the houses are still there, but the people aren’t visible in the windows any more. Colours start to blur, dark green bleeds into light, and you realise that if you don’t find a way to get off now, you are going to spin off the track altogether. (c)
Q:
A series of unfortunate events that jolted our lives off their tracks. Sliding-door moments, they call them. (c)
Q:
in that instant I almost felt the flapping of the butterfly wings that would cause a tsunami in our lives. (c)
Q:
Excitement at doing something that was just for her. (c)
Q:
How anyone got through their lives without a set of bullet-pointed tasks to guide them, she would never understand. (c)
Q:
When did it become socially acceptable to sit in someone’s house and hold conversations with people not even in the room? How would they react if she got out a book and started reading it in front of them? (c) Love it!
Q:
People responded to you differently when you were well turned out; you were treated with less suspicion. Just because you spent an extra half an hour slicking on some make-up on top of the mask you already wore day after day, it was assumed you knew what you were doing. If you were presentable you must be okay. You could maintain a modicum of control. (c)
Q:
Feeling slightly smug about how much better than her colleagues she was going to feel in the morning, she left the office without so much as a backward glance, but still keenly aware of the sidelong looks her friends were giving one another. (c)
Q:
When in actual fact she wasn’t desperate to be loved by another person; all she wanted was to feel the slightest bit of affection for herself.
Bea wanted to be a success at something. Anything. (c)
Q:
Cognitive dissonance, wasn’t that what Karen called it? This feeling that two separate people existed inside her, constantly fighting to take control of her thoughts. (c)
Q:
It was nothing to do with hiding things; she just didn’t feel like pretending any more than she already was. (c)
Q:
Facebook... Karen thought they might as well have printed out timetables and stuck them up at random bus stops around town – along with a miniature map powered by Google and pictures with blurred backgrounds and faded edges. (c)
Q:
A counterfeit greeting for counterfeit friends, pulled together by grim circumstance. (c)
Q:
I threw on my bright and breezy voice like a silk scarf... (c)
Q:
This was the part where our conversation would go one of two ways – neither particularly appealing. It was a toss-up between abusive or suicidal. Sometimes it would be both. (c)
Q:
Your life, I told myself through gritted teeth, is defined by the rules you have vowed to abide by. If you lose sight of those, you lose everything. It could all come slipping down round you, the snowdrift that is your life becoming an avalanche that will bury you alive. It wasn’t the fear that I could have been caught that caused self-loathing to bubble under my surface like tar on a hot road – when you have had the worst possible thing happen to you, that kind of fear is as ridiculous as being afraid of monsters under the bed. I hadn’t been caught. But I had lost control. (c)
Q:
This whole life was warmer than mine. It wasn’t that she was much better off financially; just that her life was richer in colour where mine was grayscale. (c)
Q:
But the mind is a wonderful and terrifying machine. (c)
Q:
...I had spent years being made to believe I was a stupid, bad person, that I couldn’t be trusted. I had been conditioned to see someone useless and unworthy of love when I looked in the mirror. And like a self-fulfilling prophecy, that was what my life became. A life without a future. So I clung to what I had... (c)
Q:
‘And what happens to you when they don’t need you any more?’
‘That’s not going to happen,’ she replied confidently. ‘They will always need me.’ (c)
Q:
Psychology excited her: the way the past could account for much of the present, the way people’s actions could be examined and understood. People were literally textbook. There was rarely a problem that couldn’t be explained by careful assessment of the factors. (c)
September 23, 2016
OMG Jenny Blackhurst. She's has climbed right to the top 10 of my personal charts for reading thrillers. After her last book I thought that was brilliant, and it was. This one was a topic of something else and it just bulldozed along.
Have you ever thought you were loosing your mind? Then put yourself into one of the three women who are the main characters in this book.
New baby, young child to take to school. Tired Mom.
Then there is Eleanor and Bea.
Karen is the one that fixes everything, except can she fix this problem?
Karen is a psychiatrist so she knows what's what.......doesn't she?
Until......
a new patient arrives in her office needing to sort out her constant headaches, but its Karen who is given the headache because this new patient knows more about her than Karen will learn about her!
Its a really good 'pull me in and lock me away' kind of read, where you don't want to surface until you finish this book.
Its powerful story will keep your lunging from page to page, eager to flick to more and more of its secrets behind the pages.
I really loved this book so much.
I want to say more but don't want to give away the story so I am going to say.....
This year has been an AWESOME revelation for some brilliant debut novels, and this authors debut novel had me reeling, now this one really has put me eager for her next book.
Have you ever thought you were loosing your mind? Then put yourself into one of the three women who are the main characters in this book.
New baby, young child to take to school. Tired Mom.
Then there is Eleanor and Bea.
Karen is the one that fixes everything, except can she fix this problem?
Karen is a psychiatrist so she knows what's what.......doesn't she?
Until......
a new patient arrives in her office needing to sort out her constant headaches, but its Karen who is given the headache because this new patient knows more about her than Karen will learn about her!
Its a really good 'pull me in and lock me away' kind of read, where you don't want to surface until you finish this book.
Its powerful story will keep your lunging from page to page, eager to flick to more and more of its secrets behind the pages.
I really loved this book so much.
I want to say more but don't want to give away the story so I am going to say.....
This year has been an AWESOME revelation for some brilliant debut novels, and this authors debut novel had me reeling, now this one really has put me eager for her next book.
October 29, 2017
This won Book of the Month on my blog for February 2017:
https://littlemissnosleep.wordpress.c...
After having absolutely loved How I lost You, and talking anyone who would listen into reading it, I was a little nervous about this author’s second book. The first one was so good, could her second impress me anywhere near as much? In a word, YES! Before I Let You In is incredible, and now I want to tell everyone to read this one too.
This story focusses on three close friends, Karen, Bea and Eleanor, all with quite different lives. Bea is single, Eleanor is married with children, Karen is a psychiatrist and is definitely the one who tends to fix things when Bea and Eleanor get themselves in a pickle. However, what happens when the friend who always manages to keep things together is faced with a patient who challenges the acceptable roles of doctor and patient, and starts pushing Karen’s boundaries? What could possibly happen if that level-headed friend starts to lose control over her perfectly controlled life? Read this book to find out.
I had so many thoughts and questions early on, my mind was a whirlwind of what ifs. Although it felt like there was so much going on, I never felt confused, as the story was so fast paced and flowed well. The mix of characters and how they were all connected was brilliantly done. I loved every minute of it.
On the last night of reading this, I had planned an early night, due to feeling so tired, but I just couldn’t put this book down, and ended up reading until 1.30am. It wouldn’t have been too bad if that had been the end of it, but I then struggled to fall asleep, as there was so much still going on in my mind. What a roller coaster of a ride! Absolutely loved it!
I highly recommend this to anyone into psychological suspense thrillers. This one is a cracker! Buy this book, read it and love it too. You’ll be pleased you did and you can thank me later.
https://littlemissnosleep.wordpress.c...
After having absolutely loved How I lost You, and talking anyone who would listen into reading it, I was a little nervous about this author’s second book. The first one was so good, could her second impress me anywhere near as much? In a word, YES! Before I Let You In is incredible, and now I want to tell everyone to read this one too.
This story focusses on three close friends, Karen, Bea and Eleanor, all with quite different lives. Bea is single, Eleanor is married with children, Karen is a psychiatrist and is definitely the one who tends to fix things when Bea and Eleanor get themselves in a pickle. However, what happens when the friend who always manages to keep things together is faced with a patient who challenges the acceptable roles of doctor and patient, and starts pushing Karen’s boundaries? What could possibly happen if that level-headed friend starts to lose control over her perfectly controlled life? Read this book to find out.
I had so many thoughts and questions early on, my mind was a whirlwind of what ifs. Although it felt like there was so much going on, I never felt confused, as the story was so fast paced and flowed well. The mix of characters and how they were all connected was brilliantly done. I loved every minute of it.
On the last night of reading this, I had planned an early night, due to feeling so tired, but I just couldn’t put this book down, and ended up reading until 1.30am. It wouldn’t have been too bad if that had been the end of it, but I then struggled to fall asleep, as there was so much still going on in my mind. What a roller coaster of a ride! Absolutely loved it!
I highly recommend this to anyone into psychological suspense thrillers. This one is a cracker! Buy this book, read it and love it too. You’ll be pleased you did and you can thank me later.
May 23, 2018
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CAN’T. STOP. READING. Those 3 little words popped into my head every time I had to go to sleep, make dinner or get to my workout! Jenny Blackhurst where have you been all my life? This is my first novel by her and I must say - I can’t wait to read more.
Before I Let You In was a fast-paced page turner that was not short on drama and suspense. Love the different POV chapters between the 3 best friends. Keeps you guessing until the end. I loved it! A must read for anyone who enjoys the psychological thriller genre!
Highly recommend!
CAN’T. STOP. READING. Those 3 little words popped into my head every time I had to go to sleep, make dinner or get to my workout! Jenny Blackhurst where have you been all my life? This is my first novel by her and I must say - I can’t wait to read more.
Before I Let You In was a fast-paced page turner that was not short on drama and suspense. Love the different POV chapters between the 3 best friends. Keeps you guessing until the end. I loved it! A must read for anyone who enjoys the psychological thriller genre!
Highly recommend!
April 6, 2018
Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst is a psychological thriller that switches the point of view between three friends and an unknown threat. This book was one that as soon as I began reading I got totally caught up in and didn’t want to put the book down until the very last page.
Karen is a psychiatrist who has taken on a new patient that she begins to suspect has ulterior motives for choosing Karen as her doctor. Bea and Eleanor have been Karen’s best friends since childhood with the three being as close as friends can be. Eleanor is the married mother of the group and Bea is the carefree single lady, or so she let’s her friends believe.
Karen’s new patient comes in with claims that she’s in a relationship with a married man but she refuses to let Karen lead the sessions as she normally would and only drops hints as to her motives for being there. Karen begins to suspect that this patient is a danger to herself and her friends when events begin happening to the ladies that her patient hints to being responsible for.
Having read another title by Jenny Blackhurst I was really excited to dive into Before I Let You In and thankfully it was one that lived up to my expectations with writing that was easy to lose myself into for a few hours. There is plenty of drama in the lives of this trio of friends to become completely invested in as the author begins to twist the story to keep a reader on their toes until that very last page. Definitely recommend this one to the psychological thriller fans out there.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Karen is a psychiatrist who has taken on a new patient that she begins to suspect has ulterior motives for choosing Karen as her doctor. Bea and Eleanor have been Karen’s best friends since childhood with the three being as close as friends can be. Eleanor is the married mother of the group and Bea is the carefree single lady, or so she let’s her friends believe.
Karen’s new patient comes in with claims that she’s in a relationship with a married man but she refuses to let Karen lead the sessions as she normally would and only drops hints as to her motives for being there. Karen begins to suspect that this patient is a danger to herself and her friends when events begin happening to the ladies that her patient hints to being responsible for.
Having read another title by Jenny Blackhurst I was really excited to dive into Before I Let You In and thankfully it was one that lived up to my expectations with writing that was easy to lose myself into for a few hours. There is plenty of drama in the lives of this trio of friends to become completely invested in as the author begins to twist the story to keep a reader on their toes until that very last page. Definitely recommend this one to the psychological thriller fans out there.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
August 14, 2016
Three women who are in their 30's have been friends since nursery school. In fact they were inseparable.
Karen is the friend who fixes all their problems. She was the perfect one. She is a phychitrist and when she takes on a a new patient Jessica it seems the patient knows more about Karen and her friends than she should.
I did not and could not where this phycological thriller was taking me but oh how this pulled me in from the first page. I will definitely be adding this author to my favourites list.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Headline and the author Jenny Blackhurst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Karen is the friend who fixes all their problems. She was the perfect one. She is a phychitrist and when she takes on a a new patient Jessica it seems the patient knows more about Karen and her friends than she should.
I did not and could not where this phycological thriller was taking me but oh how this pulled me in from the first page. I will definitely be adding this author to my favourites list.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Headline and the author Jenny Blackhurst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2017
Geez, Before I Let You In kind of blew my mind 🤯! The story was fast paced and has an ending I did not see coming. I believe this will be out in April in the US but from all the 5 star reviews on Goodreads I just couldn’t wait. Thank you Book Depository lol
So what’s it about? Karen, Bea, and Eleanor have been the best of friends since childhood. Now, in their 30s they still meet up for lunches out or at each other’s homes. Eleanor is the new tired mom, easily forgetting things. Bea is the single lady who enjoys not having children or a man. Karen is the fixer, she is a psychiatrist. She’s always there to help her friends when needed.
Karen takes on a new patient, Jessica, and realizes pretty quickly that Jessica knows more about the lives of Karen, Bea, and Eleanor than she should. With confidentiality rules in place, Karen is struggling with what can be or not be said. She is unsure of who is in danger but Karen is determined to keep her best friends safe.
Right in the first pages you knew something bad had happened so i was glued to the pages. I wanted to know what, why and how! I really enjoyed Before I Let You In. It was fact passed, short chapters and multiple twists and turns. I recommend 4.5 Stars.
So what’s it about? Karen, Bea, and Eleanor have been the best of friends since childhood. Now, in their 30s they still meet up for lunches out or at each other’s homes. Eleanor is the new tired mom, easily forgetting things. Bea is the single lady who enjoys not having children or a man. Karen is the fixer, she is a psychiatrist. She’s always there to help her friends when needed.
Karen takes on a new patient, Jessica, and realizes pretty quickly that Jessica knows more about the lives of Karen, Bea, and Eleanor than she should. With confidentiality rules in place, Karen is struggling with what can be or not be said. She is unsure of who is in danger but Karen is determined to keep her best friends safe.
Right in the first pages you knew something bad had happened so i was glued to the pages. I wanted to know what, why and how! I really enjoyed Before I Let You In. It was fact passed, short chapters and multiple twists and turns. I recommend 4.5 Stars.
February 21, 2017
I'm not with the majority on this one, I didn't enjoy this book.
I felt the plot was way drawn out and could've been cut down by a good third. It felt repetitive at times and too far-fetched to be enjoyable. Even though I spent hours reading, I wasn't invested in these characters at all and didn't really care for what happened to them. The 'twist' was a let-down. It was truly a struggle to finish the book.
I felt the plot was way drawn out and could've been cut down by a good third. It felt repetitive at times and too far-fetched to be enjoyable. Even though I spent hours reading, I wasn't invested in these characters at all and didn't really care for what happened to them. The 'twist' was a let-down. It was truly a struggle to finish the book.
December 19, 2016
DNF at 43%. Cheating, I hate cheating!!! What the Hell???
I wish there was a warning but no, I read 43% into the book and find this out.
Seriously, I'm not happy about this!!!
There goes my mystery!! No rating...
I wish there was a warning but no, I read 43% into the book and find this out.
Seriously, I'm not happy about this!!!
There goes my mystery!! No rating...
October 16, 2016
One of the best things that came out of Crimefest 15 was that I met Jenny Blackhurst and went on to read her debut novel (May 2015).
I liked her as a person and I loved her as an author of How I Lost You. I have followed with some eagerness her writing career and waited for this her second novel expectently.
The thing about her writing is that she thinks of an incredible plot and then twists it so that a simple story we would readily recognise and identify with becomes a frightening maze without light or thread to escape from. You becone engrossed in a story about people you care about, characters who are damaged but familiar within everyones experience.
The story surrounds three friends. Each getting on with their lives and meeting up regularly as their friendship transcends all their other relationships. Karen is the steady one, a clever and successful psychiatrist, Bea a little stunted by a nasty sexual experience and Eleanor struggling with her second child and overwhelmed by the baby blues. Whatever happens they have each other and Karen appears to be the rock where the others often need that security.
Bea & Eleanor are secretly planning a special birthday surprise for Karen when everyone's situation is threatened by a patient that walks into Karen's practice, Jessica Hamilton who appears hell bent on destroying all Karen cares about and undermining her professional career and social standing.
I must admit at times I felt this was not a novel a bloke should read; like Friends without Joey, Chandler, and Ross. However, it was the author's craft and engagement with the reader that maintained my interest and the feeling that an abundance of Testosterone was not a bar to one's enjoyment.
Now here is the twist; the hint that Karen's situation has changed because of her patient; that her pending promotion could now be unravelling due to the threat posed and the result of Jessica on her life and those of her friends.
There is a real sense of menance; a mental struggle between a doctor and their patient. The code of ethics that maintains patient confidentiality which becalms the physiatrist's ability to act. Who can they confide in? Who counsels the counsellor? When your patient gets into your head what will they undue; if they claim to know the secrets you hide what damage could they release.
A very satisfying read and like a trumpetting fanfare heralding the arrival if one were necessary of a new kid on the block. Take a bow, Jenny Blackhust - author.
I liked her as a person and I loved her as an author of How I Lost You. I have followed with some eagerness her writing career and waited for this her second novel expectently.
The thing about her writing is that she thinks of an incredible plot and then twists it so that a simple story we would readily recognise and identify with becomes a frightening maze without light or thread to escape from. You becone engrossed in a story about people you care about, characters who are damaged but familiar within everyones experience.
The story surrounds three friends. Each getting on with their lives and meeting up regularly as their friendship transcends all their other relationships. Karen is the steady one, a clever and successful psychiatrist, Bea a little stunted by a nasty sexual experience and Eleanor struggling with her second child and overwhelmed by the baby blues. Whatever happens they have each other and Karen appears to be the rock where the others often need that security.
Bea & Eleanor are secretly planning a special birthday surprise for Karen when everyone's situation is threatened by a patient that walks into Karen's practice, Jessica Hamilton who appears hell bent on destroying all Karen cares about and undermining her professional career and social standing.
I must admit at times I felt this was not a novel a bloke should read; like Friends without Joey, Chandler, and Ross. However, it was the author's craft and engagement with the reader that maintained my interest and the feeling that an abundance of Testosterone was not a bar to one's enjoyment.
Now here is the twist; the hint that Karen's situation has changed because of her patient; that her pending promotion could now be unravelling due to the threat posed and the result of Jessica on her life and those of her friends.
There is a real sense of menance; a mental struggle between a doctor and their patient. The code of ethics that maintains patient confidentiality which becalms the physiatrist's ability to act. Who can they confide in? Who counsels the counsellor? When your patient gets into your head what will they undue; if they claim to know the secrets you hide what damage could they release.
A very satisfying read and like a trumpetting fanfare heralding the arrival if one were necessary of a new kid on the block. Take a bow, Jenny Blackhust - author.
April 17, 2018
Karen. Eleanor. Bea.
Best friends since childhood who know everything about each other.
Or do they?
Karen is a psychiatrist and the one who usually takes care of the others-almost like a big sister.
But, what will happen when she takes on a new patient with issues she can’t quite figure out? And, how does this patient know so much about not only her, but also her two best friends?
Why did Jessica Hamilton seek her out when the first words she would say to Karen are “You can’t fix me”
Did she make an appointment because she wanted help...or was her intent to harm?
I got the first hint about what was to come on page 91 ( don’t cheat!! ) and the hair on my arms stood up...the author deftly drops clues for her readers as the tension builds. I was riveted from the first page till the last.
This was my first novel by Jenny Blackhurst but upon finishing, her other books were immediately added to my TBR list.
One book off the list. Three books on! The story of my life! LOL
Recommended for my psychological thriller loving friends! Enjoy!
Best friends since childhood who know everything about each other.
Or do they?
Karen is a psychiatrist and the one who usually takes care of the others-almost like a big sister.
But, what will happen when she takes on a new patient with issues she can’t quite figure out? And, how does this patient know so much about not only her, but also her two best friends?
Why did Jessica Hamilton seek her out when the first words she would say to Karen are “You can’t fix me”
Did she make an appointment because she wanted help...or was her intent to harm?
I got the first hint about what was to come on page 91 ( don’t cheat!! ) and the hair on my arms stood up...the author deftly drops clues for her readers as the tension builds. I was riveted from the first page till the last.
This was my first novel by Jenny Blackhurst but upon finishing, her other books were immediately added to my TBR list.
One book off the list. Three books on! The story of my life! LOL
Recommended for my psychological thriller loving friends! Enjoy!
April 20, 2018
This was a page-turner!!! This was a juicy, well-written psychological thriller told from multiple points of view. (I'm a sucker for pretty much any and all books told in multiple points of view!) Its told between three friends and one unknown threat that keeps you guessing till the very end! The beginning started off a tad slow (thus my 4.5 star and not 5 star rating) but I promise it will pick up! This book was packed with so much drama intertwined with this trio of friends...it definitely kept me invested till the very last page! Definitely recommend! **4.5 stars rounded up!**
May 25, 2017
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As far as I'm concerned, it's fairly rare to read a psychological thriller that isn't great. There's something about the twists and turns in the plot, the devious nature of some of the characters and the relationships between them, that just hook the reader. And let's not mention the often shocking twists that we are confronted with in the last pages! And so it was with this one.
This is a powerful story with lots of secrets between the pages. I felt that I knew the characters really well, and the relationship between the three friends seemed very realistic and understandable. There are affairs, difficult family relationships, hurtful backgrounds, wine drinking sessions, sex and lots of every day things that seem very realistic. But without giving anything away, I think it's safe to say that not everything is as it seems, and in true psychological thriller fashion, things start to unravel. It's also clear from the beginning of the book that something bad has happened. The reader is then taken on a nail biting journey to find out what that event was.
Okay, so the only downside for me was that I had, to a large extent, worked things out before the ending. It's always a wonderful shock when your suspicions are totally off and the reveal brings forward something from left field, but in this case, I sort of guessed who the nutter was, and what was going on. That said, this was still a very entertaining read...and I hadn't quite figured out everything. Did I pick it up whenever I could? Yes. Was it an easy read? Yes. Was I taken on a gripping journey? Yes. There's nothing much else to say really...
My Rating: * * * *
Publication Date: August 2016
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Format: Paperback
Source: My own purchased copy.
As far as I'm concerned, it's fairly rare to read a psychological thriller that isn't great. There's something about the twists and turns in the plot, the devious nature of some of the characters and the relationships between them, that just hook the reader. And let's not mention the often shocking twists that we are confronted with in the last pages! And so it was with this one.
This is a powerful story with lots of secrets between the pages. I felt that I knew the characters really well, and the relationship between the three friends seemed very realistic and understandable. There are affairs, difficult family relationships, hurtful backgrounds, wine drinking sessions, sex and lots of every day things that seem very realistic. But without giving anything away, I think it's safe to say that not everything is as it seems, and in true psychological thriller fashion, things start to unravel. It's also clear from the beginning of the book that something bad has happened. The reader is then taken on a nail biting journey to find out what that event was.
Okay, so the only downside for me was that I had, to a large extent, worked things out before the ending. It's always a wonderful shock when your suspicions are totally off and the reveal brings forward something from left field, but in this case, I sort of guessed who the nutter was, and what was going on. That said, this was still a very entertaining read...and I hadn't quite figured out everything. Did I pick it up whenever I could? Yes. Was it an easy read? Yes. Was I taken on a gripping journey? Yes. There's nothing much else to say really...
My Rating: * * * *
Publication Date: August 2016
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Format: Paperback
Source: My own purchased copy.
May 20, 2018
Fully twisted all the way. Karen a psychiatrist is happy doing her job fixing patients problems. The only problem for Karen is that she never knows who is walking through her door. But one patient knows more about Karen and her friends that are all like sisters.
Psychiatric Report
Jessica Hamilton. Age 23. Address Confidential. Medical history No diagnosed history of depression or generalised anxiety disorder. Family background unknown. Medication No medication at present. Referral Self- referral. Reason for visit Tension headaches and irrational cognitive activity. Allocated Psychiatrist Dr Karen Browning.
Your stomach will twists in knots reading this so much that it is one of those novels you will never forget. I read and reviewed How I Lost You and enjoyed that so much that is why I made sure that I read Before I Let You In. I am now following Jenny Blackhurst and will make sure that I read her next thriller.
August 28, 2016
This book was on my wishlist from the minute it appeared on Amazon as I loved How I Lost You. But I have to say, after just this minute finishing Before I Let You In.....this is EVEN BETTER! What a twisted and devious mind Jenny Blackhurst must have! I just loved it!
The three women at the heart of this book have been best friends since school. Now in their thirties, their lives have taken quite different paths but they have remained very close. But when psychiatric Karen takes on a new patient, Jessica, she starts to realise that her new patient knows more about Karen and her friends than she is comfortable with. Has letting this woman into her life put the people Karen loves in danger? And how can Karen, who has always been the one to look after them all, hope to keep her friends safe if she can't work out why they are all in danger?
The thing about this book that I loved the most was just how well I connected with all of the friends and their lives. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time desperate to stop whatever was happening to them all and to find out why? It's obvious from the first few pages that something awful has occurred and the build up to it is just so incredibly gripping that you won't be able to put it down! It's like a nightmare where you are running and running away from an unseen predator and just getting nowhere! And it was driving me mad that I couldn't work out exactly what was going on and why. I thought I had it all figured out but my jaw dropped when I realised that I was way off the mark!
Fans of psychological suspense will absolutely devour this! Jenny Blackhurst has certainly raised the bar with this one and has now cemented her place as one of my favourite authors. In fact, I half wish I hadn't read it so I could have the anticipation all over again of reading this for the first time. And I might just have to go back and read again anyway! A brilliantly conceived book that I can highly recommend.
I received a copy of this book via the publisher Headline so many thanks to them and this is my unbiased review.
The three women at the heart of this book have been best friends since school. Now in their thirties, their lives have taken quite different paths but they have remained very close. But when psychiatric Karen takes on a new patient, Jessica, she starts to realise that her new patient knows more about Karen and her friends than she is comfortable with. Has letting this woman into her life put the people Karen loves in danger? And how can Karen, who has always been the one to look after them all, hope to keep her friends safe if she can't work out why they are all in danger?
The thing about this book that I loved the most was just how well I connected with all of the friends and their lives. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time desperate to stop whatever was happening to them all and to find out why? It's obvious from the first few pages that something awful has occurred and the build up to it is just so incredibly gripping that you won't be able to put it down! It's like a nightmare where you are running and running away from an unseen predator and just getting nowhere! And it was driving me mad that I couldn't work out exactly what was going on and why. I thought I had it all figured out but my jaw dropped when I realised that I was way off the mark!
Fans of psychological suspense will absolutely devour this! Jenny Blackhurst has certainly raised the bar with this one and has now cemented her place as one of my favourite authors. In fact, I half wish I hadn't read it so I could have the anticipation all over again of reading this for the first time. And I might just have to go back and read again anyway! A brilliantly conceived book that I can highly recommend.
I received a copy of this book via the publisher Headline so many thanks to them and this is my unbiased review.
December 28, 2018
This novel has a lot of great reviews but for me it was just a mediocre reading. The plot is totally unbelievable, trick after trick to keep the reader off-track. Well, it didn’t work for me. After a promising star, I was fed up with such a disjointed way to try and keep the novel readable, which was absolutely not. There’s no way I can believe any of these characters, much less everything that happens to them. The final twist is almost laughable. Even so, the author managed to keep me reading up to the end, hence the two stars.
October 11, 2016
Having enjoyed ‘How I Lost You’, the debut thriller by Jenny Blackhurst, I was very much looking forward to this as soon as I saw it announced.
Karen Browning, Eleanor Whitney and Bea Parker have been friends for over thirty years. They went to university together, they know everything about each other’s lives, or at least they think they do.
Karen is a psychiatrist and it’s clear from the start that she sees herself as a ‘fixer’. She wants to be the one that the others go to when they have a problem. Eleanor is a young wife and mother – struggling to cope and feeling that must be something more to life than this. Bea is the singleton and happily so – or so she lets people think. And Karen? – well let’s just say that Karen has an interesting backstory and secrets of her own.
Things become really interesting when Karen begins to see a new patient, Jessica Hamilton. Jessica got my back up straight away. She has a hostile attitude and seems to be goading Karen. She also appears to know a lot of personal stuff about Karen that a stranger wouldn’t know and from the things she says, it seems that she is a threat to Karen and her friends. I was desperate to find out how she fitted in to the story.
The story begins with the ‘Now’ and with what appears to be an interview/assessment and these continue throughout the story. From the beginning it was clear who was being assessed but what we don’t know is why; something bad has happened and the tension and anticipation just keeps building.
Before I Let You In is an engrossing and twisty story and introduces some seriously disturbed characters. Many of the chapters are fairly short – which makes for an addictive ‘just one more chapter…’ read. The narrations are voiced in third party by each of the three friends (with the exception of a few chapters in a first person voice), giving an excellent insight into their lives and minds. I love being able to get behind a character and I had no problems here in caring what happened to them – or some of them at least! The fact that none of their lives were perfect made them believable and even the best of friends have secrets from each other. One character in particular had a darker and seemingly reckless side to them that initially I found particularly surprising and it did make me suspicious that perhaps they are not all they seem. I was convinced that I had worked out who was doing ‘what’ and I thought I was sure of the ‘why’ but then wham! I was completely thrown whilst hurtling towards the devastating finale.
With its dark and original storyline exploring the complex intricacies of female friendship, this is a perfectly plotted and well-paced psychological thriller. Jenny Blackhurst has certainly raised her game with this second novel and it was an excellent 5* read for me. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Karen Browning, Eleanor Whitney and Bea Parker have been friends for over thirty years. They went to university together, they know everything about each other’s lives, or at least they think they do.
Karen is a psychiatrist and it’s clear from the start that she sees herself as a ‘fixer’. She wants to be the one that the others go to when they have a problem. Eleanor is a young wife and mother – struggling to cope and feeling that must be something more to life than this. Bea is the singleton and happily so – or so she lets people think. And Karen? – well let’s just say that Karen has an interesting backstory and secrets of her own.
Things become really interesting when Karen begins to see a new patient, Jessica Hamilton. Jessica got my back up straight away. She has a hostile attitude and seems to be goading Karen. She also appears to know a lot of personal stuff about Karen that a stranger wouldn’t know and from the things she says, it seems that she is a threat to Karen and her friends. I was desperate to find out how she fitted in to the story.
The story begins with the ‘Now’ and with what appears to be an interview/assessment and these continue throughout the story. From the beginning it was clear who was being assessed but what we don’t know is why; something bad has happened and the tension and anticipation just keeps building.
Before I Let You In is an engrossing and twisty story and introduces some seriously disturbed characters. Many of the chapters are fairly short – which makes for an addictive ‘just one more chapter…’ read. The narrations are voiced in third party by each of the three friends (with the exception of a few chapters in a first person voice), giving an excellent insight into their lives and minds. I love being able to get behind a character and I had no problems here in caring what happened to them – or some of them at least! The fact that none of their lives were perfect made them believable and even the best of friends have secrets from each other. One character in particular had a darker and seemingly reckless side to them that initially I found particularly surprising and it did make me suspicious that perhaps they are not all they seem. I was convinced that I had worked out who was doing ‘what’ and I thought I was sure of the ‘why’ but then wham! I was completely thrown whilst hurtling towards the devastating finale.
With its dark and original storyline exploring the complex intricacies of female friendship, this is a perfectly plotted and well-paced psychological thriller. Jenny Blackhurst has certainly raised her game with this second novel and it was an excellent 5* read for me. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
September 28, 2016
Before I Let You In has to be one of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year, it literally took my breath away. Jenny BlackHurst has written a very original and twisted tale that left my heart racing I’m pleased to say. Karen, Bea and Eleanor are the best of friends and have been since childhood, they know each other inside out or so they believe. When Karen a psychiatrist starts treating Jessica, a girl who seems to know things about Karen’s personal life and that of her friends things take a sinister turn. Little does Karen know, but Jessica is the catalyst that sets off a chain of events that will test the three woman’s friendship to the limits.
I found the three woman an intriguing bunch,they appeared to be the best of friends,the type who support each other in a crisis, they’ve been there through good times and bad, but appearances can be deceptive, and as the author explores the bonds of friendship you realise things aren’t quite as they seem, after all what friends keep secrets from each other? and why would you? As the plot progressed and took a dark and dangerous turn I couldn’t help but become completely wrapped up in what was happening to the three friends, and on many occasions I found my heart in my mouth as a sense of foreboding radiated from every page. The story is told from the perspectives of the three women, which really helped me to connect with them and I found myself totally immersed in their story. All of the women had flaws, but for me this made their characters all the more credible.
What I loved about this book was the fact every time I thought I knew where the novel was heading I got it wrong, Jenny BlackHurst throws in so many twist and turns to keep the reader on their toes. You know from the opening chapter something bad has happened, and I applaud the authors ability to keep the reader in suspense right up until the very last chapter, not a mean feat when writing a thriller, as some books I have read in this genre give too much away too early, and often leave me feeling slightly deflated.
I find Before I Let You In to be a compelling and a very disturbing read, the author explores some very credible flaws in the women’s friendship, jealousy, mistrust, and lies, which certainly made for a gripping read. I would highly recommend this book to “thriller lovers”, actually scrap that, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a “damn good read”
I found the three woman an intriguing bunch,they appeared to be the best of friends,the type who support each other in a crisis, they’ve been there through good times and bad, but appearances can be deceptive, and as the author explores the bonds of friendship you realise things aren’t quite as they seem, after all what friends keep secrets from each other? and why would you? As the plot progressed and took a dark and dangerous turn I couldn’t help but become completely wrapped up in what was happening to the three friends, and on many occasions I found my heart in my mouth as a sense of foreboding radiated from every page. The story is told from the perspectives of the three women, which really helped me to connect with them and I found myself totally immersed in their story. All of the women had flaws, but for me this made their characters all the more credible.
What I loved about this book was the fact every time I thought I knew where the novel was heading I got it wrong, Jenny BlackHurst throws in so many twist and turns to keep the reader on their toes. You know from the opening chapter something bad has happened, and I applaud the authors ability to keep the reader in suspense right up until the very last chapter, not a mean feat when writing a thriller, as some books I have read in this genre give too much away too early, and often leave me feeling slightly deflated.
I find Before I Let You In to be a compelling and a very disturbing read, the author explores some very credible flaws in the women’s friendship, jealousy, mistrust, and lies, which certainly made for a gripping read. I would highly recommend this book to “thriller lovers”, actually scrap that, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a “damn good read”
October 9, 2021
Psychothriller sind für mich immer etwas schwierig, da viele Bücher, die diesem Genre zugeschrieben werden, für mich keine wirklichen Psychothriller sind. 'Das Mädchen im Dunkeln' hält jedoch was es verspricht!
Die Geschichte fängt zunächst recht harmlos an, doch sie nimmt schnell an Fahrt auf. Hiermit meine ich vor allem die allgegenwärtige beklemmende Stimmung und den wirklich gut gespannten Handlungsbogen. Wer Action und viele Leichen erwartet, der wird hiermit sicherlich nicht so glücklich. Die Geschichte fesselt auf ihre ganz eigene und vor allem subtile Art und Weise.
Der Klappentext ist, was die Beschreibung der Geschichte angeht, etwas irreführend, da es in der Story nicht nur um Jessica und ihre Therapeutin geht. Auch im Verlauf der Story wird man nochmals auf falsche Fährten gelenkt. Die Erzählung aus den verschiedenen Perspektiven ist sehr gelungen und realistisch, zumal auch aus einer Perspektive erzählt wird, die dem Leser vollkommen unbekannt ist. Gerade diese Seite der Geschichte ist sehr beklemmend und beunruhigend. Den Schluss der Geschichte fand ich ein wenig enttäuschend, einfach weil es mir alles in allem nicht so logisch erschien, aber das ist wohl Geschmackssache. Ich mochte den flüssigen Schreibstil von Jenny Blackhurst und das Buch hat genau das getan, was ich erwartet habe - es hat mich gut unterhalten.
*Rezensionsexemplar
Die Geschichte fängt zunächst recht harmlos an, doch sie nimmt schnell an Fahrt auf. Hiermit meine ich vor allem die allgegenwärtige beklemmende Stimmung und den wirklich gut gespannten Handlungsbogen. Wer Action und viele Leichen erwartet, der wird hiermit sicherlich nicht so glücklich. Die Geschichte fesselt auf ihre ganz eigene und vor allem subtile Art und Weise.
Der Klappentext ist, was die Beschreibung der Geschichte angeht, etwas irreführend, da es in der Story nicht nur um Jessica und ihre Therapeutin geht. Auch im Verlauf der Story wird man nochmals auf falsche Fährten gelenkt. Die Erzählung aus den verschiedenen Perspektiven ist sehr gelungen und realistisch, zumal auch aus einer Perspektive erzählt wird, die dem Leser vollkommen unbekannt ist. Gerade diese Seite der Geschichte ist sehr beklemmend und beunruhigend. Den Schluss der Geschichte fand ich ein wenig enttäuschend, einfach weil es mir alles in allem nicht so logisch erschien, aber das ist wohl Geschmackssache. Ich mochte den flüssigen Schreibstil von Jenny Blackhurst und das Buch hat genau das getan, was ich erwartet habe - es hat mich gut unterhalten.
*Rezensionsexemplar
August 26, 2016
Karen is meant to be the one who fixes problems.
It's her job, as a psychiatrist - and it's always been her role as a friend.
But Jessica is different. She should be the patient, the one that Karen helps.
But she knows things about Karen. Her friends, her personal life. Things no patient should know.
And Karen is starting to wonder if she should have let her in . . .
I keep saying it has been an excellent year for psychological thrillers and here we go again. Before I Let You In is the second book, by Jenny Blackhurst. Having read her first book, How I Lost You - which is an outstanding book, I was eager to read!
A highly suspenseful and fascinating read which manages to entice you in with a creepy, intense and highly charged storyline. It keeps you guessing and then, second guessing, and then still manages to shock and surprise you!
With great characters and a fascinating plot. It draws you into a world of lies, friendships, loyalty, and revenge - all the ingredients to make this is a treasure to read.
A solid 4.5*/5* - Highly recommended!
Thank you to The Book Club #TBConFB for the review copy.
It's her job, as a psychiatrist - and it's always been her role as a friend.
But Jessica is different. She should be the patient, the one that Karen helps.
But she knows things about Karen. Her friends, her personal life. Things no patient should know.
And Karen is starting to wonder if she should have let her in . . .
I keep saying it has been an excellent year for psychological thrillers and here we go again. Before I Let You In is the second book, by Jenny Blackhurst. Having read her first book, How I Lost You - which is an outstanding book, I was eager to read!
A highly suspenseful and fascinating read which manages to entice you in with a creepy, intense and highly charged storyline. It keeps you guessing and then, second guessing, and then still manages to shock and surprise you!
With great characters and a fascinating plot. It draws you into a world of lies, friendships, loyalty, and revenge - all the ingredients to make this is a treasure to read.
A solid 4.5*/5* - Highly recommended!
Thank you to The Book Club #TBConFB for the review copy.
August 5, 2016
Having read and absolutely loved How I Lost You by Jenny Blackhurst I was very excited to read her new book Before I Let You In and even more delighted to know I was one of the first to read it. This gripping and tense psychological thriller tells the story of 3 best friends in their 30's who have been inseparable since nursery school. It's apparent from the opening chapter that something awful has happened but you don't find out what until the last page. I was gripped throughout and loved the dark and devious and rather twisted storylines and characters. A huge 5 stars from me
August 23, 2016
This debut crime novel by Jenny Blackhurst is cleverly constructed and written, about the complex web of lies and secrets between 3 best friends. With twists and turns this keeps you gripped from the start and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to readers who love psychology thrillers. As a little note I would have liked a day/date with each or certain chapters (since it was only put on the first chapter) as I was a little confused to begin with of the timing but that in no way affected the story or the plot. Thank you to The Book Club and Jenny Blackhurst for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
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