The Breakdown

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That is until the next morning, when she wakes to hear that a woman was killed in her car last night on the same road. Her mind is spinning. Could it be the same woman who she came across? Should she have stopped? Was the killing personal? Or is there a maniacal killer on the loose! For a story that started so promisingly, I felt it dragged in the middle. What was meant to show the building fear and confusion started to just feel The big revelation/twist didn’t do anything for me since I saw it coming. However, I enjoyed the twists and turns as the story unfolded and with the outcome of the story in general. I also liked the fact that each one of them plays a role into the story. As 'Behind Closed Doors', the other book by this author, this one had a realistic vibe that made me think, keeping me at the edge of my seat the entire time. Thank you so much to NetGalley, B.A. Paris, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Ten years later Finn is engaged to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Their shared grief over what happened to Layla drew them close and now they intend to remain together. Still, there’s something about Ellen that Finn has never fully understood. His heart wants to believe that she is the one for him...even though a sixth sense tells him not to trust her.

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.And when were all the new appliances delivered? How could hubby coordinate their delivery to happen when Cass wasn’t home, when she seldom went out anyway? The Breakdown took a while to build up speed and tension. Obviously you know something will happen, but you don't know what or when. For a while, Cass' character really started grating on my nerves because she was just a sniveling mess, falling to pieces at the slightest thing, yet taking all sorts of risks. And then...BOOM. B.A. Paris throws in a twist which, while not utterly surprising, really turns the plot on its ear and sends the book careening to its conclusion. Cass experiences fear of the phone ringing and the letter box clattering. She spends time eating lunch at Sour Grapes (really who would eat there?) with a friend just so she is not at home alone. I loved her first book (“Behind Closed Doors”) so had high expectations for this one. The story is truly suspenseful. During a severe storm Cass comes across a car parked at the side of the road. She stops and waits for some indication that the female driver needs assistance. None comes so Cass drives on to her home. The next morning Cass learns from her husband that her friend Jane had been murdered. She is devastated when she learns that it had been her friend Jane’s car on the side of the road.

The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Cass had promised her husband, she would avoid taking the shortcut that night, but changed her mind. Knowing he would be furious with her for taking such a risk, and feeling like a horrible human being for ignoring the driver, she never tells anyone what she witnessed. It’s hard to believe that the old appliances and the murder weapon would be hidden in the shed. Hello. Everyone knows you don’t leave incriminating evidence around. I very much enjoyed the incorporation of text messages into this story as well. It helped to keep me engaged as the puzzle pieces began falling into place.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.

Her sophomore novel, The Breakdown was immediately added to my TBR after I completed her debut, Behind Closed Doors.

Is Cass crazy? Is she suffering from early onset dementia like her mother did before her? What is happening? Filled with some huge twists and a fast-paced plot, I can see why this book has been receiving so much hype. I wouldn't have been able to put it down had life not gotten in the way. It is a truly addictive read. Now imagine seeing a stranded motorist, waffling on the decision to stop and offer assistance or pass on by, then ultimately deciding it was safer to drive on past, especially since the driver didn’t appear to be injured and did not indicate they wanted help.

She’s almost certain she’s suffering from early onset dementia—the condition that has stole her mother’s life—and no one, not even her husband, will believe that someone is out to get her. Is she actually losing her mind or is something or someone else to blame. If you can't trust yourself, who can you trust? 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 JournalIt’s far-fetched that Cass would get her hands on Rachel’s burner cell phone and it’s far-fetched the way it happens (though actually, I give the author credit here for ingenuity). Cass clearly presents with paranoia due to driving home one evening and seeing this woman on the side of the road in a storm and she does not stop to help her and the next morning finds out that she has been murdered. Cass starts receiving random phone calls with no one speaking and feels like she is being watched. Cass starts to forget things and believes she may have onset early dementia (a disease her mother had) and it just continues to tumble down from there..... ehhh Cass was an unreliable heroine so I obviously questioned everything she said and everything she did for a good part of the story. I sympathized with her and, even though I found her to be an interesting and well-developed character, she frustrated the hell out of me. God, at times, I wanted to slap the woman senseless.