The Doll: A dark and addictive psychological thriller full of twists

by Jocelyn Dexter

Barney Snapp looks ordinary. But behind his smile lies something broken.

Home-schooled and raised in isolation, Barney grew up role-playing with china dolls while other children played in the real world. Now an adult, he still struggles to understand human emotions, or to control his own.

When tragedy rips through his life, Barney seeks comfort at a local bereavement group. But instead of solace, he discovers secrets, lies and betrayal. And when three women from the group step into his home, his obsession takes a dangerous turn.

Because in Barney's world, dolls don't just sit pretty. They obey.

The Doll is a dark and twisted tale of obsession, trauma and control, and is perfect for fans of C.J. Tudor and Alex North.

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2026

Reviews

[Mickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC REVIEW*

I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I found myself feeling bored throughout this entire book. The book is just shy of 300 pages, which would usually take me around 3 hours, instead it took me two days. I thought about DNF but I wanted to know how it ended.
There were zero twists, despite it promising several. Everything seemed very obvious. Like the reader can't see exactly what's going to happen once Barney joins the bereavement group. There was absolutely no mystery. Well, besides the very ending. Does Adele let Barney keep the "dolls" or does she do something about it? I found it annoying that I pushed through this book, just to be left with an open ending.

[Liz T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what have I just read?
Jocelyn Dexter never disappoints when she writes a psychological thriller but The Doll takes creepiness to quite another level.
When Adele calls Barney, my son, the psychopath, she’s not wrong. Over the years she has homeschooled him since he had to leave mainstream school and kept a tight control of him. However, since her husband, Timothy’s death Adele has been overwhelmed with grief and it’s not in Barney’s nature to empathise with anyone else’s feelings. It’s just not a natural concept to him.
To try and teach Barney about feelings, Adele has used the beautifully crafted china dolls that Barney is so skilful at making to try and describe different feelings. To feel safe Barney usually carries one of these dolls in his pocket to try and transmit the required feelings for the occasion. Unfortunately Adele has never explained grief to Barney and when Adele withdraws herself from the world and from Barney because of her grief, he has to go out and find an explanation for himself.
He joins a bereavement group and meets three women, Jodie, Grace and Odette but rather than learning something about grief to help his Mum he finds that these women each have a guilty secret. To Barney who has been taught never to lie he decides that the women need to be taught a lesson. As Adele begins to realise that Barney is up to something how will she react? Is her love so strong that she will continue to protect him?
This book kept my attention throughout with excellent characters and just the right amount of tension. I never been particularly liked china dolls but I’ll always think of Barney Snap now if I see one. Thanks to the author for an advanced reading copy of The Doll. This is my honest review.

Sent from my iPad

[Eva Edge · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doll by Jocelyn Dexter is a psychological thriller that is undeniably creepy and "different," though I’m still trying to decide whether that's a good or bad kind of different. It’s a strange story with a very unique core idea that certainly stands out from other books in the genre, but it left me feeling more confused than gripped. It’s creepy enough to keep you reading, but strange enough that you aren’t quite sure how to feel about it once you’re done.

The book's atmosphere is definitely unsettling, which works well for a psychological thriller. However, I struggled with the characters; they were written so that I couldn’t quite work out whether I liked them or disliked them. Because of this, it was hard to feel genuinely invested in their journey, which is something I usually look for in a "special" read.

Although the title promises a story "full of twists," I found that it didn't quite live up to that label for me. Instead of the sharp, unexpected turns I love, the story felt like it was nicely unfolding and explaining itself as it went along. While I appreciated that the author ensured the reader wasn't left with unanswered questions, the lack of real surprises meant it didn't feel like the "twisty" thriller I was expecting.

Ultimately, this was an extraordinary reading experience. I’m happy for the readers who absolutely loved it, and I think this book is proof that every story has its audience—some will find it addictive, while others, like me, might end up feeling a bit confused by the strangeness of it all. It wasn't "flat," but it also wasn't the wild ride I was hoping for.

[Rita Hanner-Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jocelyn Dexter’s “The Doll” is a dark and disturbing tale told from multiple viewpoints: Barney, the psychopathic son homeschooled by his mother, who has a fondness for dolls—his only true friends—each with a name and a purpose, which he carries in his pocket and takes everywhere he goes. He relies on them to help him slide through life and its entanglements—the relationships he forms with the neighborly women he seeks to fit in with, but disdains and distrusts; Adele, the overly doting, to the point of smothering, mum who fears and at the same time seeks to fix her broken son; and neighbors Jodie, Odette, and Gracie, who welcome Barney into their “special” club, a bereavement group, each a liar, each quietly seeking to possess him, each harboring a secret of their own.

While Barney may view his mother as the ultimate puppet master, it is he who manipulates these women through lies, deceptions, and strategically placed truths, including frank admissions to his mother that he knows what he is and is quite comfortable with it. He is a violent and sick person, and he offers no apology for it. Caught in a toxic relationship with her son, Adele hopes and prays for the best, believing she is the only one who can save him from himself, yet he quietly resents her.

All of these elements set in motion a twisted tale of obsession and control. Jocelyn Dexter’s talent as a writer, her ability to get into the characters’ minds and convey their darkest thoughts and feelings, carries the reader from one chapter to the next. Her attention to detail is admirable, and the well-honed dialogue that shapes the scenes holds you in the moment. I found it to be a solid read.

[Liz Skipper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barney is strange, very strange. Home schooled by his mother Adele, Barney has been raised in virtual isolation. But Barney doesn't mind as he has always had his beloved dolls for company. His many china dolls understand him and he them. There's Charming Charles and Happy Harry, they all have their names and they are all special to Barney in their own unique way.

When tragedy strikes Barney turns to an online bereavement group for support. Odette, Grace and Jodie welcome Barney into their little group. But these three women are hiding secrets, Barney is sure of it. Chatting online quickly leads to meeting up in a pub and Barney is delighted. But the women have no idea what they are letting themselves in for....

Barney what a character!! Boy was he creepy!! Cold, calculating and manipulative Barney was determined to get what he wanted. He had his mother wrapped around his little finger, she loved him so much. But was Adele partly to blame for how Barney turned out? Quite possibly.

I raced through loving every minute of the weirdness the author does so well. However I was expecting something more of the conclusion and felt a tiny touch let down. Still an enjoyable and fun read which I don't hesitate to recommend.

[Danny Matheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This psychological thriller is somewhat different to the authors normal writing but is very good nonetheless. It is creepy and disturbing but a very intriguing read.
Barney, the main character, was removed from school in his very early days due to unacceptable behaviour and thereafter was home schooled by his Mother Adele. While she taught him well in education and behavioural matters he was isolated from other people so had little to no social skills and had never experienced emotions. His "friends" were china dolls which he decorated and named after different emotions. When out and about he would carry one of the aforementioned dolls as his companion.
On the death of his Father, Adele withdrew into herself in grief whilst Barney, having never experienced grief, joined a bereavement group of the women in hope of finding out how to manage grief. What he found out was that each of the women were hiding a secret of their own and were lying to hide the truth. Barney had been taught that lying was wrong so set about to mend the error of their ways!
A very well written book that kept the intrigue going throughout.

[Susan Blissett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very creepy, disturbing and interesting read. Barney has been home-schooled most of his life due to his behaviours at school and lives with his mum, Adele. He hasn’t been able to develop his social skills and finds it difficult to understand other people and their emotions, so has a collection of dolls which he uses to act out various situations, with each doll representing a different emotion one might feel. When his dad dies, his mother struggles and Barney wants to find out about Grieve and how to help his mother. He comes across a bereavement group of 3 women, but they all have their own lies and secrets, and when Barney learns of this he is keen for them to get their comeuppance. I didn’t feel there were many twists and turns to this story, and at times I felt the story was a little slow, but it was an interesting story nevertheless. I was keen to find out what would happen to Barney, his mother and the 3 women and it was different from anything else I have read before.

I received an ARC from Bloodhound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.

[Mrs Bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barney Snapp is a very complex young man. From birth, his mother Adele suspects all is not well, and her suspicions are confirmed with each year Barney gets older.

Barney does not feel emotions and is unable to understand them. Adele decides to home-school Barney to help him navigate other people's feelings. She is determined to teach her son right from wrong through the medium of dolls.

A few years later, Barney a young man now, a tragedy in the family threatens the close bond between him and Adele. Unable to make sense of it all Barney joins a group of three women in the hope they will help him understand.

But these women are not quite what they seem, all three with their own dark secrets, that bind them together. Barney is initially confused, until he decides what is right and wrong in his world.

The story that unfolds is a marvellous rollercoaster of truths and lies that threatens a mother's bond with her child. It will keep you hooked page after page until all is finally revealed.

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barney Snapp is becoming an adult, but all his troubles started the day he was born. He did not get along at school, so he was homeschooled. The main problem with Barney is that he has no emotions or feelings. Hence, he used dolls to represent different feelings that one would feel, like rage, calm, etc., but with Barney, he always got his own way as the dolls obeyed his every word. When his father passed away, his mother didn't take it well. She was grieving, but with Barney, it did not sink in, so he joined a bereavement group and befriended 3 women, and Barney was becoming an adult and would like to do as other adults do and have love, children, and a family life like normal. The women entered Barney's house, and that did not go down well. What he is looking for does not materialise.
Very dark, eerie tale, and I did not take to any of the characters; they all had something about them, even Barney's mother, to me, was not warm. and motherly.
I would like to thank Bloodhounds for an ARC copy, and as always, this is my take on the novel.

[C.A. Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full on creepy as hell! I personally do not like china dolls, so this book and I didn't get off on the right foot, lol.

Barney Snapp is the MMC and the kind of character who gets under your skin quietly. There’s something so off about him — not loud, not dramatic, just this slow, skin‑crawling wrongness, lol.

And the way he interacts with those china dolls? Absolutely not. The way he uses them to express feelings he can’t handle in the real world is the kind of psychological horror that lingers.

This isn’t jump‑scare horror — it’s the slow, psychological kind that crawls under your skin and whispers “you’re not alone” when you definitely are. It’s obsession, control, trauma, and the kind of emotional distortion that makes your stomach twist.

One thing I want to point out is that I really liked the stylistic choice to capitalize the first letter of every word tied to feelings. I like how it helped highlight the word.

So, if you want a thriller that leaves you deeply uncomfortable in the best way, The Doll delivers.

[Pauline Render · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had everything I’ve come to expect from Jocelyn Dexter’s writing. A definite air of underlying tension seeped from every page as Barney, a broken man who’s lived his life under the protection of his mother sets out on his mission to help her after tragedy shatters their lives. But what he discovers is that people lie. And with that discovery, his own tendencies come terrifyingly to the fore. As The Doll is written from multiple points of view, the tension is palpable. As is the fact that his dolls are about the only thing keeping his personality under control. I also found the use of an initial capital letter for emotions made the story more immersive, and with a very complex main character, who I did, in a way, feel a lot of sympathy for, I was pulled deeper and deeper into a story which refused to let me go until I’d read the final page.
For me this can only be another 5* read by this brilliant writer.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waited a long time for a psychological thriller to do something different and with chilling brilliance this is that book. Jocelyn Dexter is an author at the very top of her game.
Dolls and clowns have long been tropes of scary fiction and here it is dolls created by Barmy Barney that make the hairs stand up on the back of one's neck with tingles of fear. Their interactions with their creator are macabre and heartwrending in equal measure.
The plot is dark and unpredictable and utterly compulsive. It explores regret, guilt, grief, longing and love against a backdrop of secrets and lies.
The characterisation is razor-sharp. There's a fine line here between sanity and insanity and the author takes great care in when she allows Barney to cross it. If Barney is barmy what about his three female guests?
Jocelyn Dexter deserves to find herself on many bestsellers lists.

[Karen Crear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been struck down by the lurgy that’s doing the rounds, sore throat, streaming nose and a cracking headache. So yesterday was spent cocooned under a heap of blankets with a book.

And WOW! What a book!

Is there anything scarier than china dolls? Possibly clowns. Or those enormous spiders that loiter by the skirting boards, then make a sudden dash for your bare feet. Anyway, I digress.

This book is fantastic!! Creepy as hell and with a brilliantly complicated main character you want to hate but can’t as you have a grudging amount of compassion for them. Great supporting cast, a proper white-knuckle ride, and so clever it keeps tapping you on the shoulder long after you’ve finished asking awkward moral questions.

I whizzed through it in a day because putting it down simply wasn’t an option. Absolutely gripping and very highly recommended.

[Karen Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barney was a strange child, he couldn’t understand or feel any emotion, so his Mum taught him with dolls and schooled him at home. Now as an adult he is an illustrator and doll maker and repairer, doesn’t really mix with people. Then he has to deal with grief, not an emotion he has had to deal with before so he joins a bereavement group to try and understand it all so that he can help his Mum with her grief.

Three women from the group ask him to join in their sub group and that is where everybody’s problems, get worse. All of the women suffered loss, which they had a hand in and think Barney is the same. He is not and thinks they should be punished. Did I mention he is a psychopath?

I really enjoyed this book, to be honest not my favourite book by this author but still a very good book.

Thank you to the author for my advance copy of this book.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psychological thriller with banging dark twisted secrets.
He controls every move...
Barney Snapp, behind his smiles,something is broken.
Been home-schooled as a child, and playing with China dolls in Barney’s world just don't sit pretty they obey.
As becoming an adult, tragedy ripped through this man life and when three woman Jodie, Odette and Grace join him and he takes them home, he takes a dangerous turn.
They are his teachers in grief and mystery.

A very strong, powerful, meaning story, so different, very addictive, this is a story with so much entailed, a man with so many twisted thoughts, learning through three woman with stories of their own to tell.
Magnificent chapters to send you mind to another level.
This author's writing is unique.
Superb right to the very end.

[Jolene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me down a rabbit hole I did not expect. Three women, each with her own past, her own wounds, her own secrets collide with a man who can’t seem to grasp the basics of expressing emotion, especially grief.

The question becomes will these women be able to guide him toward something real and human or are they about to get pulled straight into the warped little world he’s built out of denial and make-believe?

It’s unsettling, layered, and twisted in all the right ways. A solid four star read that kept me flipping pages, wondering who was going to save who and who was going to sink right along with him.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤩 WoW.......The Doll: Jocelyn Dexter was a very dark psychological thriller and i was hooked from the very beginning till the very end it was so addictive especially as it was full of excellent twists and turns that will have you turning your pages over on your kindle to find out what happens next!
Superb read and so creepy!!!! I am so glad I did not start to read it before I went to bed!!!!! I'll be hiding under my quilt with all the lights on!!!!

But, I loved it! 🥰 and I recommend The Doll. . . . .If you have any of these dolls n your house - be careful they may be watching you!!!! 😮

[Allison Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one psychological thriller writer that puts you on the heebie jeebies then it's Jocelyn Dexter.

I've seriously got to feel for Barney, with his complex look into the world, which doesn't help with his mothers obsession to 'help' home school him.
Isolated from everyone Barnery and his mum bring in life like dolls to help with everyday life.

When Barney comes across a bereavement group after his fathers sudden death, nothing is ever what it seems.

Such an amazing and fantastic psychological thriller that you don't want to end.

[Zoe E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the beginning of this and thought it was an interesting plot.
Told from different perspectives which I like and I enjoyed the writing style.
But by the time I was around halfway I started noticing
there were alot of inconsistencies and things that didn't make much sense. And I felt that this really but a dampener on the reading experience for me.
I did finish the book as I felt committed.

[Rachael Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I absolutely love about Jocelyn Dexter’s books are how much they surprise me, and The Doll is no exception.

There’s obviously something ‘not quite right’ about Barney Snapp, and his dolls are only the start of it. Home-schooled and still isolated as an adult by his doting / enabling mother, Barney wants to expand his horizons, but at what cost?

A gloriously dark story with brilliantly grotesque characters and a stunning conclusion.

[Annamarie Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling read.
This book hooked me right from the disquieting beginning and didn’t let go until the final disturbing scene.
The Doll is written from multiple points of view which made the superbly portrayed characterisations even more powerful as it let me get inside their heads as well as letting them into mine!
Highly recommended but be careful! Once you've picked it up you won't be able to put it down.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gonna lie this author hits the psychological side bang on every book.
The creep vibes were on high for this one from the start. I couldn’t decide what I thought was going to happen at the end.
My head went in many different avenues.
Such a gripping read from the start.
Really great book, if you like creepy people, weird vibes and dark excellent stories this is for you.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply dark and disturbing read. If you like twisted thrills then this is for you. I personally enjoyed the plot because it feels so real with it's complicated layers and intense relationships. The characters are disturbed and I will be sleeping with one eye open after reading this. Highly addictive and horror filled.

[Lori Jean Zuber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bizarre and haunting story that grabs on and never lets go!

Barney is unable to feel emotions. His mother raises him using dolls to express what he should be feeling at any given moment. She thought she had prepared him well for the world. She was wrong.

Excellent and original storyline! Definitely a novel to add to your list!

[Aileen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read her previous books I was expecting something dark from this book. It was more creepy than I was expecting it to be. I find china dolls to be scary and the way Barney interacts with them has definitely not changed my mind on that. I was disappointed with the ending but that probably says more about me than the book. Good read.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has a creepy main character, Barney, who isn't prepared for the outside world so once he is forced to make his way through the world there are some situations that the world isn't prepared for him. Well written characters and a plot that unfolds slowly and carefully with interesting results. I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.

[Rebecca Charlesworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on this book making it difficult to put my review in to words. A well written storyline that started out well, but unfortunately didn't grab and hold my interest as I thought it would once I passed the half way mark. The blurb sounded right up my street and it sounded a little out of the ordinary, which is was, can’t say I have come across anything even remotely similar.

[Emma Ounsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book although I hated the ending, it did tie in to the rest of the story however and didn’t spoil anything.
The characters were interesting and the setting very normal, well written and original.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
creepingly brilliant.

[Fizzie Heseltine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazing. The concept is amazing. I went from feeling sorry for Barney to revulsion.
What an amazing concept for a psychological thriller. The ante has now been upped