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The Perfect Psychopath
THE PERFECT PSYCHOPATH HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT…The mind is a dangerous place to hide…
Dr Eleanor Spencer is a well-respected psychologist with a seemingly perfect life. But when a series of women start to vanish, it dredges up memories of her sister’s unsolved disappearance and she finds herself drawn into the investigation.
Desperate, she turns to Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial murderer who revels in mind games. But when Lucas cryptically hints the answers lie buried in her past, Ellie’s carefully constructed world begins to splinter.
Because now she faces a terrifying the real monster might just be closer than she ever imagined.
Ellie has spent her career deciphering the minds of killers—but now, one of them is inside hers.
A gripping psychological suspense about betrayal, courage, and the darkness that can hide behind a seemingly trustworthy façade. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater and B.A. Paris.
Dr Eleanor Spencer is a well-respected psychologist with a seemingly perfect life. But when a series of women start to vanish, it dredges up memories of her sister’s unsolved disappearance and she finds herself drawn into the investigation.
Desperate, she turns to Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial murderer who revels in mind games. But when Lucas cryptically hints the answers lie buried in her past, Ellie’s carefully constructed world begins to splinter.
Because now she faces a terrifying the real monster might just be closer than she ever imagined.
Ellie has spent her career deciphering the minds of killers—but now, one of them is inside hers.
A gripping psychological suspense about betrayal, courage, and the darkness that can hide behind a seemingly trustworthy façade. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater and B.A. Paris.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 22, 2025
251 people are currently reading
2349 people want to read
About the author
Alice Hunter
7 books662 followersAfter completing a psychology degree, Alice Hunter became an interventions facilitator in a prison. There, she was part of a team offering rehabilitation programmes to men serving sentences for a wide range of offences, often working with prisoners who'd committed serious violent crimes. Previously, Alice had been a nurse, working in the NHS. She now puts her experiences to good use in fiction. The Serial Killer’s Wife, The Serial Killer’s Daughter and The Serial Killer’s Sister all draw heavily on her knowledge of psychology and the criminal mind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
June 17, 2025
Wherein a prison psychologist who is really bad at her job teams up with a detective who is equally bad at her job, and contrive to allow several women to be killed while they stumble incompetently around (how either of them haven't been fired for gross misconduct is just one of several unbelievable things in this book). The plot grows ever more convoluted and unbelievable as the pace finally quickens - you need to have a serious helping of suspending disbelief for it all to hang together such are the coincidences and contrivances relied upon. So many questions - too many to list here, but for example, what does the killer in prison have to do with any of it? - after dominating the first half of the story, he basically disappears. On top of that, it's just not as entertaining as it should be, and there is such a random mix of styles flung together in no order - one character is written in 1st person, the other in 3rd person, in between are odd bits of journals (hate the 'handwritten' font), text messages (no idea who is talking to who), newspaper and media clips (why?) and odd bursts of italics for the insight of the killer, who we never really get to know or meet. Flawed and by the end completely nonsensical.
April 3, 2025
Alice Hunter books always shock me. Every time I pick one up I think I am going to work it all out… but I never do. Full of brilliant twists, dodgy characters and just superb storytelling The Perfect Psychopath kept me up well past bedtime to finish. I was completely blindsided once again and I loved it. With a title like that I knew that I would.
A psychologist working in a prison with plenty of her own demons and secrets. A tragedy in her past that comes back when a series of murders happen and the police ask for her help. I don’t want to say too much as I really think you just need to read it and find out for yourself.
Thanks so much to Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on May 22nd.
A psychologist working in a prison with plenty of her own demons and secrets. A tragedy in her past that comes back when a series of murders happen and the police ask for her help. I don’t want to say too much as I really think you just need to read it and find out for yourself.
Thanks so much to Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on May 22nd.
July 7, 2025
This twist-filled thriller delivers a slow-burn suspense that rewards patient readers with a jaw-dropping epilogue. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story pivots in an unexpected direction, keeping even seasoned thriller readers on their toes. The pacing builds steadily, creating a tension that simmers beneath the surface until everything unravels in the final pages with shocking clarity.
Despite having read many thrillers, I found myself completely off track—my instincts failed me in the best way. The unpredictability, layered plotting, and final twist make this a standout in the genre. If you’re a fan of thrillers that truly surprise you, this one is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended.
Despite having read many thrillers, I found myself completely off track—my instincts failed me in the best way. The unpredictability, layered plotting, and final twist make this a standout in the genre. If you’re a fan of thrillers that truly surprise you, this one is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended.
March 28, 2025
Wiw what did I just read!!! What a ride we went on. I loved the characters, the storyline and especially the ending. I devoured this book. Brilliant.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
May 5, 2025
The synopsis of this book has me so excited to read it. However, the book fell short. It’s a slow burn mystery.
The twists and turns are good but you can definitely see them coming. I didn’t get that “can’t put this book down feeling” at all. It was actually a chore to keep reading this book. The book finally got fun to read at 80%.
The twists and turns are good but you can definitely see them coming. I didn’t get that “can’t put this book down feeling” at all. It was actually a chore to keep reading this book. The book finally got fun to read at 80%.
April 11, 2025
The Perfect Psychopath is an engaging psychological thriller with a clever plot and a strong female lead. Dr. Eleanor Spencer finds herself pulled into an investigation that gets more personal the deeper she goes. The connection to her past added an extra layer of intrigue, and her interactions with Lucas Hayne were some of the most interesting parts.
The pacing is steady, with plenty of moments that make you question who can be The way the story unfolds still kept me turning the pages. I also appreciated how Ellie’s professional background tied into the mystery, giving the investigation a unique perspective.
A solid read for fans of thrillers with layered characters, psychological tension, and a satisfying ending that ties everything together.
The pacing is steady, with plenty of moments that make you question who can be The way the story unfolds still kept me turning the pages. I also appreciated how Ellie’s professional background tied into the mystery, giving the investigation a unique perspective.
A solid read for fans of thrillers with layered characters, psychological tension, and a satisfying ending that ties everything together.
May 21, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Alice Hunter book, although I have been looking at her 'Serial Killers' series for a while now. I definitely saw enough in this book to encourage me to pick this up, too.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book in particular. I thought the characterisation was very strong and I was intrigued in the different strands of the story.
However, the ending wasnt my favourite unfortunately, as I felt important details were kept from the reader until the end to add shock factor, but it undid a lot of the good work done earlier in the book.
This was my first Alice Hunter book, although I have been looking at her 'Serial Killers' series for a while now. I definitely saw enough in this book to encourage me to pick this up, too.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book in particular. I thought the characterisation was very strong and I was intrigued in the different strands of the story.
However, the ending wasnt my favourite unfortunately, as I felt important details were kept from the reader until the end to add shock factor, but it undid a lot of the good work done earlier in the book.
May 27, 2025
2.5 stars
A very slow (and at time repetitive) burn. The first half of the novel builds the characters and there was potential, however, not much happens. The plateau effect kicks in and I found myself skipping pages and sections.
Key pieces of information are kept from the reader and their shock value actually detracts from the overall reveal. The twists and turns are fairly foreseeable and the hidden information just made me frustrated.
The read felt more like a chore this time round.
A very slow (and at time repetitive) burn. The first half of the novel builds the characters and there was potential, however, not much happens. The plateau effect kicks in and I found myself skipping pages and sections.
Key pieces of information are kept from the reader and their shock value actually detracts from the overall reveal. The twists and turns are fairly foreseeable and the hidden information just made me frustrated.
The read felt more like a chore this time round.
July 24, 2025
Not my cup of tea. Finished it, but never really got into the book.
May 26, 2025
Alice Hunter delivers a tense, addictive thriller in The Perfect Psychopath. The story follows Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a forensic psychologist whose past trauma resurfaces when women start disappearing, and the details echo her sister’s unsolved case.
Eleanor is a deeply flawed, intriguing protagonist, and her interactions with a manipulative convicted killer add a sinister layer to the plot. The pacing is mostly sharp, though it lags briefly in the middle. That said, the final twist completely caught me off guard and made the whole journey worth it.
A chilling exploration of memory, trauma, and deception, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers that keep you guessing.
Eleanor is a deeply flawed, intriguing protagonist, and her interactions with a manipulative convicted killer add a sinister layer to the plot. The pacing is mostly sharp, though it lags briefly in the middle. That said, the final twist completely caught me off guard and made the whole journey worth it.
A chilling exploration of memory, trauma, and deception, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers that keep you guessing.
July 22, 2025
This was a great read from Hunter: so easy to not put down! Admittedly, it was a bit slow to get started but this just played into the simmering atmosphere that gradually increased. Like a pot of boiling water, by the final few chapters my brain could barely keep up with my eyes as I read the conclusion so fast. It is definitely a book you will not want to put down.
The early parts of the book reminded me of a television series whereby agents are interviewing known serial killers, trying to get into their psyche and understand their behaviours to help prevent future crimes. In this case, Ellie works as a psychologist and her interviews with Lucas – known as the ‘Silent Strangler’ – are pretty intense. She unwinds thanks to the long commute and then “brain dumping” in her journals.
Yet, Ellie is not completely satisfied with life. Her sister disappeared several years ago, the police investigation now cold. Ellie is still trying to find answers and it is clear that her career path is one of the ways in which she is trying to find leads and gain closure. However, women are starting to get killed in a similar way to the Silent Strangler and Ellie is disturbed by the possible connection it may have with her missing sister. How can this be when he is incarcerated? Who else might be involved? As the clues move closer to her, Ellie believes that there is a message that she needs to understand.
Once Hunter has established the characters and narrative, I felt really drawn into the story. There are a lot of ambiguities and this meant I was suspicious of far too many characters – a great sign of a good story. The mystery behind Grace’s disappearance is cleverly woven into the current murders and I was convinced Ellie was correct that there was a link to be discovered. On the other hand, some of Ellie’s journal entries reveal a more sinister side to Ellie and I liked how this raised even more questions.
The narrative also switches to following the police officer who was also involved in Grace’s investigation. I liked how this provided a different element to the story, particularly as it becomes clear that Sarah has secrets of her own. Not only that, Hunter demonstrates the difficulties of being a single mum and the guilt that Sarah faces for not being there for her daughter in times of need, versus trying to juggle the demands of work.
Hunter brings alive the police investigation and prison environment, without it being too overwhelming. Indeed, it felt rather realistic and I think this was helped by the portrayal of the immense workloads that fewer resources can handle. A stretched police force, a lack of officers in the prison and characters trying to manage more than they can handle creates a pressurised environment – reflected by the intensity of the narrative.
A great read that really pulled me in. I enjoyed the mix of characters and how journal entries and mysterious characters were brought into the story. I had plenty of questions and loved how the story came together with a very surprising ending.
With thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The early parts of the book reminded me of a television series whereby agents are interviewing known serial killers, trying to get into their psyche and understand their behaviours to help prevent future crimes. In this case, Ellie works as a psychologist and her interviews with Lucas – known as the ‘Silent Strangler’ – are pretty intense. She unwinds thanks to the long commute and then “brain dumping” in her journals.
Yet, Ellie is not completely satisfied with life. Her sister disappeared several years ago, the police investigation now cold. Ellie is still trying to find answers and it is clear that her career path is one of the ways in which she is trying to find leads and gain closure. However, women are starting to get killed in a similar way to the Silent Strangler and Ellie is disturbed by the possible connection it may have with her missing sister. How can this be when he is incarcerated? Who else might be involved? As the clues move closer to her, Ellie believes that there is a message that she needs to understand.
Once Hunter has established the characters and narrative, I felt really drawn into the story. There are a lot of ambiguities and this meant I was suspicious of far too many characters – a great sign of a good story. The mystery behind Grace’s disappearance is cleverly woven into the current murders and I was convinced Ellie was correct that there was a link to be discovered. On the other hand, some of Ellie’s journal entries reveal a more sinister side to Ellie and I liked how this raised even more questions.
The narrative also switches to following the police officer who was also involved in Grace’s investigation. I liked how this provided a different element to the story, particularly as it becomes clear that Sarah has secrets of her own. Not only that, Hunter demonstrates the difficulties of being a single mum and the guilt that Sarah faces for not being there for her daughter in times of need, versus trying to juggle the demands of work.
Hunter brings alive the police investigation and prison environment, without it being too overwhelming. Indeed, it felt rather realistic and I think this was helped by the portrayal of the immense workloads that fewer resources can handle. A stretched police force, a lack of officers in the prison and characters trying to manage more than they can handle creates a pressurised environment – reflected by the intensity of the narrative.
A great read that really pulled me in. I enjoyed the mix of characters and how journal entries and mysterious characters were brought into the story. I had plenty of questions and loved how the story came together with a very surprising ending.
With thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2025
"The Perfect Psychopath" was not very believable. The unreliable narrator is a psychologist whose specialty is working with serial killers. To go into this field, a person has to go through a lot of personal therapy, but Dr. Spencer must have lied her way through that therapy since she claims to not remember huge portions of her past and is completely unwilling to read the journals she kept at that time. Furthermore, several people are privy to her secrets, kill innocent people to hurt her, or keep important details hidden from the police force they are on.
Perhaps the author’s important message was that your psychologist can be a very messed-up person. But I was continually irritated by how unlikable every character was. There were adulterous parents who unfairly favored one child over another, grown children who were unwilling to help their elderly parents or even keep in touch with them, vicious cruelty to childhood peers, self-deception about personal crimes while smugly holding onesself above the criminals you were supposed to be helping, pathetic policing, especially if a family member might suffer from more effective policing, "perfect" couples who could barely stand each other, etc.
I wanted a distracting mystery, but I also need at least one character I can like, and the fiction must match up to reality better than this novel did.
Perhaps the author’s important message was that your psychologist can be a very messed-up person. But I was continually irritated by how unlikable every character was. There were adulterous parents who unfairly favored one child over another, grown children who were unwilling to help their elderly parents or even keep in touch with them, vicious cruelty to childhood peers, self-deception about personal crimes while smugly holding onesself above the criminals you were supposed to be helping, pathetic policing, especially if a family member might suffer from more effective policing, "perfect" couples who could barely stand each other, etc.
I wanted a distracting mystery, but I also need at least one character I can like, and the fiction must match up to reality better than this novel did.
July 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Dr Ellie Spencer is a psychologist working with criminals at the local prison. When a woman is found murdered there appears to be a link to Ellie and her sister who disappeared without trace 5 years ago. Ellie is working with a serial killer, Lucas Hayne, and he seems to know a lo about Ellie's private life, enjoying trying to get a reaction from her. Th police ask her to try to get an insight in to this latest series of murders from Hayne. This is a fast paced story which will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end. There is also a twist you won't see coming!
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
May 24, 2025
I really liked this one, once the story started it was really hard to put down. The twists were really well done and I had no idea what was coming next. Really great book
May 23, 2025
2.5 stars
Ah man, I had a hard time getting through this one. It was a very slow burn and it didn’t pick up until the last quarter of the book. I struggled to submerse myself into this story and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Ah man, I had a hard time getting through this one. It was a very slow burn and it didn’t pick up until the last quarter of the book. I struggled to submerse myself into this story and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 25, 2025
The Perfect Psychopath tells the story of Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a forsenic criminal psychologist who is tasked to evaluate one of the most critically manipulative criminal mastermind, Lucas Haynes. Her profession stans too close to a tragedy in the past where her little sister, Gracie went missing five years ago, never to be seen or heard.
In the lieu of recent crimes with similar MO, Ellie is pushed back to confront not only her past but also the fact that someone might be targeting her now. Time is of the essence because the culprit responsible for it all might be someone closer to her.
This book had me on the edge of my seat at all times. The copious amount of twists and turns gripped my attention right from the start as the author seamlessly weaves intriguing elements of shocks, revelations, anticipation and curiosity. Rather than just connecting the dots, she plans to push the boundaries of sanity and surety as the readers are left to second guess their own thoughts and perspectives. Ellie has plenty of things that she needed to come to terms with and her interactions with Haynes was a triggering but eye opening facet in her quest to uncover the truth of the crimes that were deeply interconnected. The plot twist was unpredictable and thrilling.
One of the most fascinating and pacy psychological thriller that I've read this year. This is a perfect book if you like to read Karin Slaughter, Blake Pierce and Mary Kubica.
In the lieu of recent crimes with similar MO, Ellie is pushed back to confront not only her past but also the fact that someone might be targeting her now. Time is of the essence because the culprit responsible for it all might be someone closer to her.
This book had me on the edge of my seat at all times. The copious amount of twists and turns gripped my attention right from the start as the author seamlessly weaves intriguing elements of shocks, revelations, anticipation and curiosity. Rather than just connecting the dots, she plans to push the boundaries of sanity and surety as the readers are left to second guess their own thoughts and perspectives. Ellie has plenty of things that she needed to come to terms with and her interactions with Haynes was a triggering but eye opening facet in her quest to uncover the truth of the crimes that were deeply interconnected. The plot twist was unpredictable and thrilling.
One of the most fascinating and pacy psychological thriller that I've read this year. This is a perfect book if you like to read Karin Slaughter, Blake Pierce and Mary Kubica.
May 26, 2025
Dr Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Spencer is a forensic psychologist working with prisoners serving a life sentence.
One of the incarcerated prisoners she works with is Lucas Hayne. He’s serving a life sentence for multiple murders of women. During one of their sessions, he implies that he might have the knowledge of what happened to Grace, Ellie’s younger sister.
Grace has been missing for the past five years, and no one has heard from her since.
Then, a body of a young woman is found, and Ellie finds herself helping in the police investigation.
As more bodies are found, Ellie starts to think that the link may be closer to home than she originally anticipated…
I love Alice Hunter’s book, and I’m always looking forward to her next read. This book didn’t disappoint. I found myself racing through the pages, trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
The beauty of this author’s writing is that each chapter leaves you wanting to read another page or one more chapter. You can tell that the author has worked in prisons before, as her knowledge of the procedures and psychology is astounding.
Overall, it is a compelling read with a twist at the end.
One of the incarcerated prisoners she works with is Lucas Hayne. He’s serving a life sentence for multiple murders of women. During one of their sessions, he implies that he might have the knowledge of what happened to Grace, Ellie’s younger sister.
Grace has been missing for the past five years, and no one has heard from her since.
Then, a body of a young woman is found, and Ellie finds herself helping in the police investigation.
As more bodies are found, Ellie starts to think that the link may be closer to home than she originally anticipated…
I love Alice Hunter’s book, and I’m always looking forward to her next read. This book didn’t disappoint. I found myself racing through the pages, trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
The beauty of this author’s writing is that each chapter leaves you wanting to read another page or one more chapter. You can tell that the author has worked in prisons before, as her knowledge of the procedures and psychology is astounding.
Overall, it is a compelling read with a twist at the end.
May 22, 2025
The Perfect Psychopath follows the story of a psychologist Dr. Eleanor Spencer. She is doing a case study on a prisoner, Lucas who is notorious serial killer. Women has started disappearing and their bodies shows the similar death--i.e. Lucas used to kill women in similar fashion and someone seems to be copying what Lucas did. However, every time Ellie tries to interview Lucas, Lucas tries to steer her away from the interview by asking personal questions. Five years ago, Ellie's sister Grace mysteriously disappeared. Now a body of a woman is found wearing Grace's necklace and holding Grace's ID. Together with DS Sarah Knight, Ellie and Sarah must find this copy cat killer before too late.
This was a fast paced thriller, filled with twists and turns. You get snippets of journal entries written by Ellie. You also see a mysterious killer who is seemingly hunting women to kill. This was well written and will really put you at the edge of the seat. I have read this author's The Serial Killer's Wife before which I read in one go and which I really enjoyed and this was also actually really good. Overall, I will give this book a 4.5 star rating.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
This was a fast paced thriller, filled with twists and turns. You get snippets of journal entries written by Ellie. You also see a mysterious killer who is seemingly hunting women to kill. This was well written and will really put you at the edge of the seat. I have read this author's The Serial Killer's Wife before which I read in one go and which I really enjoyed and this was also actually really good. Overall, I will give this book a 4.5 star rating.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
May 15, 2025
Dr Eleanor Spencer, or Ellie as she's known to her friends and family, is a forensic psychologist working in a Cat B prison, one of the inmates she's working closely with at the moment is Lucas Hayne, a serial killer that is serving life with no chance of parole. Her younger sister Grace disappeared five years ago and, with the police no closer to finding her, Ellie is losing hope that she's still alive, then a series of murders happen, all with the same MO as Lucas and he appears to know more about them than the police do, she is drawn into the investigation by the leading officer, DS Sarah Knight and, determined to help the police and hopefully uncover if there's a link to Grace, she begins to dig deeper into the mind of the serial killer.
The Perfect Psychopath is the latest thriller by Hunter, told in a steady pace from the perspectives of Ellie and Sarah in the main, with the odd chapter from an unknown person who you are led to believe is the perpetrator and then delving into the past with conversations between Ellie and Grace, this is a tale of mystery and intrigue with some great twists that you won't see coming and a plot that will keep you second guessing until it all comes together in a very satisfactory ending. Hunter is great at weaving a story shrouded in mystery with undesirable characters and her work in rehabilitation is evident in this, and her previous novels. Another great read by this author who also writes thrillers as Sam Carrington which are well worth checking out too!
I'd like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
The Perfect Psychopath is the latest thriller by Hunter, told in a steady pace from the perspectives of Ellie and Sarah in the main, with the odd chapter from an unknown person who you are led to believe is the perpetrator and then delving into the past with conversations between Ellie and Grace, this is a tale of mystery and intrigue with some great twists that you won't see coming and a plot that will keep you second guessing until it all comes together in a very satisfactory ending. Hunter is great at weaving a story shrouded in mystery with undesirable characters and her work in rehabilitation is evident in this, and her previous novels. Another great read by this author who also writes thrillers as Sam Carrington which are well worth checking out too!
I'd like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
October 6, 2025
I did not finish this book. Didn’t appreciate the foul language.
May 19, 2025
3.5 stars
This is a good psychological thriller, but is a slow burner.
Ellie is a psychologist who works with prisoners and there's one in particular who features heavily in this book, Lucas.
Ellie's sister Grace has been missing for five years and both her and her Mum have been affected by this.
DS Sarah Knight contacts Ellie out of the blue, and tells her that a woman has been murdered and she had a necklace belonging to Grace.
DS Knight tells Ellie that they think this means Grace is dead, but they haven't found her body.
Ellie works with the Police and tries to get information from Lucas as he indicates he knows about the recent murders, and Grace.
This is a good read but not one of my favourites from Alice Hunter.
Thanks to Avon Books for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a good psychological thriller, but is a slow burner.
Ellie is a psychologist who works with prisoners and there's one in particular who features heavily in this book, Lucas.
Ellie's sister Grace has been missing for five years and both her and her Mum have been affected by this.
DS Sarah Knight contacts Ellie out of the blue, and tells her that a woman has been murdered and she had a necklace belonging to Grace.
DS Knight tells Ellie that they think this means Grace is dead, but they haven't found her body.
Ellie works with the Police and tries to get information from Lucas as he indicates he knows about the recent murders, and Grace.
This is a good read but not one of my favourites from Alice Hunter.
Thanks to Avon Books for the opportunity to read this book.
June 8, 2025
Fun fact, I’ve been working in mental health in a prison setting for almost 20 years so I LOVED the premise of this book. This is the 3rd @alicehunter_author book I’ve read and it was absolutely packed with twists up until the last page which is something I’ve come to expect with her books. This is a quick and easy read and I highly recommend you add this and her other books to your tbr!
May 20, 2025
Alice Hunter knows how to deliver a twist that will knock you sideways.
This psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat, desperately flying through the pages to find out the truth. I devoured this book so fast.
I had my theories, feeling like I was a detective myself, thinking I was able to guess who the killer was. I should have known that I would be wrong.
Hunter beautifully tangles a prison psychologist, a detective and a serial killer together to create a nail biting story reminiscent of Kiss The Girls.
This is a must read!
Thank you to Avon books for this advanced copy.
This psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat, desperately flying through the pages to find out the truth. I devoured this book so fast.
I had my theories, feeling like I was a detective myself, thinking I was able to guess who the killer was. I should have known that I would be wrong.
Hunter beautifully tangles a prison psychologist, a detective and a serial killer together to create a nail biting story reminiscent of Kiss The Girls.
This is a must read!
Thank you to Avon books for this advanced copy.
May 11, 2025
The Perfect Psychopath by Alice Hunter is a psychological thriller with a chilling premise: a respected psychologist drawn into a disturbing investigation that forces her to confront the darkness of her past. The description pulled me in right away and the plot promised an intense, twisty ride.
However, the book was a slow burn for me. I didn’t find myself fully engaged until around the 60% mark, and even then, it didn’t quite reach that ‘unputdownable’ level. The writing style may not have been the best fit for me personally - I never quite lost myself in the story the way I hoped. I was constantly aware I was reading, waiting for something to truly pull me in.
The plot itself was unpredictable and the ending tied things together well, but it lacked the punch I expected. I hovered between a 3⭐️ and 4⭐️ rating before settling on 3⭐️ simply because while the final twist was unexpected, it didn’t deliver the emotional or narrative payoff I was hoping for.
Character-wise, I didn’t feel strongly about most of them - except for Lucas, the convicted killer. His presence and the dynamics around his interactions added intrigue and were some of the more compelling parts of the book. Otherwise, I didn’t feel deeply connected or invested in the characters, which made the reading experience feel more detached.
That said, I do think others will enjoy this, especially fans of slow-burning psychological thrillers with dark, layered mysteries. This one may not have left a lasting impression on me, but I’m still curious to explore more of Alice Hunter’s work to see if another title clicks better.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
However, the book was a slow burn for me. I didn’t find myself fully engaged until around the 60% mark, and even then, it didn’t quite reach that ‘unputdownable’ level. The writing style may not have been the best fit for me personally - I never quite lost myself in the story the way I hoped. I was constantly aware I was reading, waiting for something to truly pull me in.
The plot itself was unpredictable and the ending tied things together well, but it lacked the punch I expected. I hovered between a 3⭐️ and 4⭐️ rating before settling on 3⭐️ simply because while the final twist was unexpected, it didn’t deliver the emotional or narrative payoff I was hoping for.
Character-wise, I didn’t feel strongly about most of them - except for Lucas, the convicted killer. His presence and the dynamics around his interactions added intrigue and were some of the more compelling parts of the book. Otherwise, I didn’t feel deeply connected or invested in the characters, which made the reading experience feel more detached.
That said, I do think others will enjoy this, especially fans of slow-burning psychological thrillers with dark, layered mysteries. This one may not have left a lasting impression on me, but I’m still curious to explore more of Alice Hunter’s work to see if another title clicks better.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2025
A good, keep you guessing, psychological storyline. A serial killer on prison seems to know more about serial killings outside than he should and his connections run deeper than you might imagine. A psychologist is tasked to have regular sessions with him as a study to assess his risk to those around him but those sessions become a lot more personal and poignant. Her sister had disappeared in the past and assumed a victim of the killer but the actual circumstances are shrouded in mystery and questions left unanswered.
There are some good twists and this definitely kept my interest right to the end to see what all the connections were. Some bits were a little bit of a stretch for plausibility but overall a good read.
There are some good twists and this definitely kept my interest right to the end to see what all the connections were. Some bits were a little bit of a stretch for plausibility but overall a good read.
August 10, 2025
Not for me!
I found the entire story really boring and repetitive!
Psychologist speaks to a serial killer about absolutely nothing. Detective speaks to psychologist about absolutely nothing. Woman killed. Husband treated like crap. Rinse and repeat!
The co- main character is a prison psychologist who is horrendous at her job, a horrible selfish person and actually adds nothing to finding the killer.
The detective, possibly just as bad at her job but you wouldn’t know as she doesn’t actually do any detecting in the book she just seems to run around speaking to the psychologist and hiding things. - Also an entire murder investigation and no one found out her daughter was in a relationship with the victim? Mmm k!
There are many scenes where El speaks to a serial killer linked to new killings and her sisters murder, setting it up for her to crack the cases, but she just gets had off by him and these scenes really add nothing to the story.
There are so many stories in the book that don’t make sense - why can’t El remember her past at all, why did she not visit her mum or dad for years and years, why did she hate her sister?
Then the last chapter - you find out that El pushed her sister in to water - yet her body was never found? Mmmm k!
Literally nothing happens in this book until the few pages where they figure it all out. And in like 1 sentence the killer is caught and it’s over!
I found the entire story really boring and repetitive!
Psychologist speaks to a serial killer about absolutely nothing. Detective speaks to psychologist about absolutely nothing. Woman killed. Husband treated like crap. Rinse and repeat!
The co- main character is a prison psychologist who is horrendous at her job, a horrible selfish person and actually adds nothing to finding the killer.
The detective, possibly just as bad at her job but you wouldn’t know as she doesn’t actually do any detecting in the book she just seems to run around speaking to the psychologist and hiding things. - Also an entire murder investigation and no one found out her daughter was in a relationship with the victim? Mmm k!
There are many scenes where El speaks to a serial killer linked to new killings and her sisters murder, setting it up for her to crack the cases, but she just gets had off by him and these scenes really add nothing to the story.
There are so many stories in the book that don’t make sense - why can’t El remember her past at all, why did she not visit her mum or dad for years and years, why did she hate her sister?
Then the last chapter - you find out that El pushed her sister in to water - yet her body was never found? Mmmm k!
Literally nothing happens in this book until the few pages where they figure it all out. And in like 1 sentence the killer is caught and it’s over!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2025
What a load of nonsense. Dont waste your time or money!
This was a terrible book! The main characters spoke in riddles,revealing nothing! Kne woukd summon the other urgently but then tell them nothing! Ellie, the psychologist can't remember anything from her youth,which is very strange! She treats her husband like dirt! And for some unexplained reason hasnt been to visit her senile father in tne care home for years! No explanation either for this. The detective,Sarah, puts her job before her daughter! As if she could conceal for 5 years, her daughter was the murder victim's girlfriend! Ludicrous! Then her daughter is abducted,yet Sarah is so calm and when they finally catch the killer it's over in 2 sentences! Anticlimax of the century.And a hurried made up explanation about him sexually assaulting Ellie when they were teens comes out of the blue! I dont know what the author was thinking when she wrote this but it is not worth reading. Long verbose thoughts from Ellie bored me to tears. I was hoping she would be bumped off halfway through! Sadly, she wasn't.
This was a terrible book! The main characters spoke in riddles,revealing nothing! Kne woukd summon the other urgently but then tell them nothing! Ellie, the psychologist can't remember anything from her youth,which is very strange! She treats her husband like dirt! And for some unexplained reason hasnt been to visit her senile father in tne care home for years! No explanation either for this. The detective,Sarah, puts her job before her daughter! As if she could conceal for 5 years, her daughter was the murder victim's girlfriend! Ludicrous! Then her daughter is abducted,yet Sarah is so calm and when they finally catch the killer it's over in 2 sentences! Anticlimax of the century.And a hurried made up explanation about him sexually assaulting Ellie when they were teens comes out of the blue! I dont know what the author was thinking when she wrote this but it is not worth reading. Long verbose thoughts from Ellie bored me to tears. I was hoping she would be bumped off halfway through! Sadly, she wasn't.
March 27, 2025
This is my first Alice Hunter book and it was great. I loved the mixed media aspects, some case files, diary entry’s, mysterious POV chapters and newspaper clippings. I think it adds a layer to the story. The immersion into the role of a forensic psychologist was fab too and I read that the author worked in a prison and this really showed. It starts quite quickly, it was a little slower in the middle but it ended up like a suspenseful whodunit as it got near the end.
October 1, 2025
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This book makes NO SENSE. For the sake of an attention grabbing twist, all previous information goes out the window. Lazy writing, I absolutely hate it when authors treat their readers like idiots. The twist makes zero sense, and there’s an evident cop out as nothing is ever explained. Very convenient trope of “memory loss” in order to hide key events from readers. Jerky, disappointed writing. Just abysmally poor. ??????
?????????????????
This book makes NO SENSE. For the sake of an attention grabbing twist, all previous information goes out the window. Lazy writing, I absolutely hate it when authors treat their readers like idiots. The twist makes zero sense, and there’s an evident cop out as nothing is ever explained. Very convenient trope of “memory loss” in order to hide key events from readers. Jerky, disappointed writing. Just abysmally poor. ??????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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