The Psychiatrist

by Winter K. Willis

When the daughter of a powerful billionaire vanishes without a trace, every second counts. To get her back, he summons Wendy, a specialist with one skill nobody else can making criminals break.

The moment she arrives on his private island, Wendy realizes this is no ordinary case. The alleged kidnapper is already locked in the billionaire’s estate, beaten down but silent. Her task is clear. She must extract the truth and force him to reveal the girl’s location before time runs out. Yet, the deeper she digs, the more she begins to wonder who is guilty and who is a pawn in this dangerous game.

As Wendy begins her investigation, her twin sister Lila arrives. Lila has no interest in patience or mercy. She wants blood. Now Wendy is trapped between the billionaire’s demands, a prisoner with secrets, and a sister whose motives grow darker with every passing hour.

A twisted psychological thriller about power, manipulation, and family betrayal, this book will leave you breathless with shocking reveals, relentless tension, and characters you will never forget.

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2025

About the author

Winter K. Willis is a pseudonym for our two-person writing team. We like to think of it as our band name.

Reviews

[Pheadra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have read several offerings by this writing duo and they are all page-turners, as is this one.
In this story, there's a whole lot going on. Twins one, Wendy, is a psychiatrist and the other, Lila, is an investigative journalist. Both are brought together by a wealthy industrialist(Becks) to get a serial killer to speak. The aim of his speaking is to reveal what he has done with Becks' daughter.
The pace of the story was excellent, but their were implausible bits and holes that I felt needed filling. 4 stars

[Eva Edge · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Psychiatrist" by Winter K. Willis is a gripping, unpredictable psychological thriller that delves into dark secrets, manipulation, and the mind games between characters, particularly focusing on the relationship between a psychiatrist and her estranged sister. Fast-paced story that offers an engaging reading experience.

I love how the book concentrates on psychological manipulation and the complex dynamics that blur the lines between therapy and investigation, sanity and madness, as well as trust and betrayal. The focus on the sibling dynamic—how similar yet different the characters are—was particularly captivating. The story effectively utilises the psychiatrist's professional expertise and personal history as the driving force behind the psychological suspense and manipulation.

Psychiatrist Wendy possesses a unique skill: she can make anyone talk! She uncovers the deepest, darkest secrets of her clients, even those of well-trained criminals. When the daughter of a powerful billionaire vanishes, Wendy is the only one who can help. Unfortunately, she has no choice but to take the case. Although Wendy is good at her job, the mysterious man in the glass box poses a significant challenge, making this investigation particularly daunting. Midway through her inquiry, her twin sister Lila arrives, and her only goal is revenge! With a clever prisoner, a demanding billionaire, and a bloodthirsty sister, Wendy's life quickly spirals out of control. As time ticks away with no progress, the stakes continue to rise…

[Monica Mil-Homens · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENG review: I think this is the first book I’ve read by these authors that I couldn’t enjoy as much. I don’t know if it’s because I felt I didn’t really understand the characters and their purpose, or if I didn’t truly grasp the relationship between Wendy and Lila… Or maybe I just thought that the reason behind the whole narrative was mundane and trivial. I also didn’t understand why Elias needed to do what he did (especially regarding women), and I feel there were too many plot holes that left a lot unexplained. I also know this is the first book in a series based on The Assistant (which I rated 5 stars), and I hope I’ll enjoy and understand the next ones in the series better!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Opinião: Acho que este é o primeiro livro que leio destes autores que não consegui gostar tanto. Não sei se senti que não compreendi bem as personagens e o seu propósito, se não entendi de facto a relação entre a Wendy e a Lila… Ou se achei mesmo que o motivo pelo qual toda a narrativa acontece é mundano e banal. Não entendi também porque razão o Elias necessitava de fazer o que fez (nomeadamente em relação a mulheres) e sinto que existiram demasiados plot holes que deixaram muita coisa por explicar. Também sei que este é o primeiro livro de uma série de livros baseados no “The Assistant” (que dei 5 estrelas), e espero gostar mais e compreender melhor os próximos desta série!

[Estelle Bouldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Psychiatrist by Winter K. Willis is the kind of book that keeps you up way past your bedtime “just one more chapter”… until you realize it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve been holding your breath for half of it.

We meet Dr. Wendy Rhodes, a brilliant criminal psychiatrist who makes killers talk—but at a steep personal cost. What begins as a slow-burn character study quickly spirals into a jet-fueled kidnapping, a mysterious billionaire with a missing daughter, and a captive mastermind named Elias who might be the key to everything… or the biggest trap of all. There’s an eerie private island, locked doors that feel a little too luxurious, and a supporting cast with secrets sharp enough to cut.

Winter K. Willis (a two-person writing team!) delivers taut dialogue, a heroine who’s both tough and vulnerable, and enough hair-raising encounters to keep your coffee consumption dangerously high. The pacing balances quiet psychological tension with sudden jolts of danger, and the twin dynamic between Wendy and her sister Lila adds a delicious sibling rivalry to the already crackling suspense.

If you like your thrillers clever, atmospheric, and just a little bit wicked, The Psychiatrist is a fun ride—equal parts cat-and-mouse game and ethical chess match. I finished it grinning, slightly creeped out, and already checking to see what else Winter K. Willis has written.

[Bee 🐝🐝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the very beginning. Although there were moments where the story felt a bit dragged and Elias didn’t seem to add much development to the plot, I still found myself eager to keep reading.

One of the positives was definitely the short chapters . The writing is simple, fast-paced, and filled with dialogue, which makes it an easy read. I didn’t connect at all with Wendy, who felt quite bland to me, but on the other hand, Lila is undoubtedly the soul of this book.

It’s packed with fantastic plot twists, even if Elias and Miriam’s relationship was a bit too predictable. As for Beck’s storyline, I wish the dark business part had been explored more deeply — there were still quite a few loose ends there.

Overall, it was a great read that I can absolutely recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Doctor knows best
When the doctor is so good that she cannot deny assisting a person who has the money and connections to make her find his daughter.
What a very intense and on the edge of your seat story! Wendy is not an average psychiatrist; she is extremely skilled at extracting information from people who do not want to share it. So, what happens when she tells a man no who asks politely to assist? Read this book, but do make sure you have the time to keep reading!
Thank you, Winter K. Willis, (both of you) for another Great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I hadn't read any of the previous books, I think I would have understood Dr Rhodes and Lila's relationship better if I had. This was engaging and kept me guessing throughout. I feel that this had a very strong opening sentence - "People love to say I make killers talk". I do feel that the story is a little unbelievable in places. I was led to believe Beck was more involved and knew more than he let on. Some of the characters lacked depth and Miriam came across as totally unhinged. The book is fast-paced and enjoyable.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a vile, twisted, sic experiment using young girls until he became proficient to retrieve his prize. What happens when the tables are turned on him, and he's the one confined and "studied". This was about the devotion of a mother and the lengths she'd go to to help her son achieve his goals and finally get the attention that he wanted. The twists are nonstop. A suspenseful, gripping, polarizing story that took me out of my comfort zone into fear and horror! I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review. Wendy is a Psychiatrist famed for getting hardened criminals to talk. But when she finds herself helping a wealthy businessman with a missing daughter her skills are pushed to the limit. When I saw this Winker K Willis book I had to get a copy! This was a fast paced and engaging read with some good plot twists and hooks. It does require the suspension of belief at points, but a really good read

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
New to me author. Really enjoyed this book.
Wendy is a renowned psychiatrist. She is helping a father find his daughter by questioning the suspect who is locked in a box. Her twin is Lila is also there; her purpose is to end the suspects life. This is told from different POVs. This book kept me turning the page.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in two days

Actually could not put this book down. I mostly read historical fiction and somehow this landed in my kindle. Fast paced and moved quickly so could not put it down. Two sisters both very different from each other but I wanted them to win. If you are looking for a complicated mystery this is for you

[Katherine Hilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a very intense book with intense characters and an explosive resolution. If you like psychological thrillers, I think you'll enjoy it. Also, the ending is either the promise of a sequel or a very cruel tease. I guess time will tell.

[Di Paterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really understand why I keep coming back to this author's books. I find the plots somewhat predictable, and the characters rather irritating, yet they remain gripping despite that. I've upped my rating from 3.5 to 4 for that reason. My thanks to BookSirens for the opportunity to read it.

[KellyM.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is what i would consider a slow-burn thriller. It gives you multiple povs which I really liked. The plot was interesting and it had a lot of world building. The ending had lots of action. Good read.

[Scarlett Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
The Psychiatrist was entertaining but unrealistic. The story felt forced, with illogical twists and characters acting out of profession. I’m giving it 3 stars for entertainment value, but it lacked realism and depth.

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

Enjoyed from beginning to end. That is the mark of a good read..
I was even glad at how it ended.

[LaRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of my seat reading! Lots of twists! Very entertaining!!

[Colisa Onderbeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of clues that are tied up too quickly at the end. The main characters are just left to wonder what the ending was.

[Jus · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an advanced copy I received through Booksirens - sorry for the 1 star - this only because I am unable to read this book via epub and there’s no other way of downloading it via email! Please help!

Sept 30th, 2025 - I’ve contacted the author, hopefully I’ll get a reply and give this book the rating it really deserves.

Oct 6th, 2025: The author didn’t reply to my email, so I ended up buying my own copy. I hope it’s worth it. 🤞🏽