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Confidential

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From the bestselling author of Neighborly comes a twisty novel of psychological suspense about the lies three women tell to survive, and the ones they'd kill to keep hidden.

Everyone loves therapist Michael Baylor. He's handsome. He's respected. And he's provided a safe place for his female patients. Now he's dead, and a detective is casting a tight net for the murderer--because the good doctor may have done some very bad things with the women who trusted him. That's if their stories check out.

There's Lucinda, who struggled to process her childhood trauma even as she was falling in love with Dr. Baylor. Greer, an accomplished career woman who was torn by her sudden desire to have children, so she went to Dr. Baylor for help but may have gotten more than she bargained for. And then there's Flora, a beautiful former patient who'd been on intimate terms with the man she called Dr. Michael for two years. Some might even say she was obsessed with him.

Three women caught in a tangled web of lies and secrets. And each with a motive for murder. With so much at stake, can any of them be trusted to tell the truth?

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2019

1853 people are currently reading
2760 people want to read

About the author

Ellie Monago

15 books101 followers
Ellie Monago is the pen name of a novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail. She spent most of her life living in the U.S. and now resides in Western Canada with her family.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
Profile Image for Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr.
3,263 reviews36.5k followers
March 20, 2019
Therapist Michael Baylor appears to be a very good therapist. He is widely respected in his field, known for taking on difficult cases. He provides a safe and therapeutic place for his clients. But then he is found dead in his office. Who would want him dead? Certainly not any of the female patients he made feel so safe and welcome.

Flora first saw Dr. Baylor for marriage counseling but soon left her husband and entered an inappropriate intimate relationship with him - a slightly obsessive one. Greer, a business woman, desperately wants to have a child, and Lucinda who has had trauma in her past and now believes she is falling in love with her therapist.

Could any of these three women be the one who killed Dr. Baylor? There is a detective investigating the murder, but I felt this character really added nothing to the story. This book is told in before and after sections where we get each woman's stories and her interactions with Dr. Baylor.

I didn't really get anything out of the investigation as there wasn't really any meat there. What this book really amounts to this therapist and his three patients/clients. None of the characters come off as sympathetic or likable. For me there felt as if there was something missing. This wasn't a bad read but I also felt it could have been much better at the same time.

The chapters in this book are short which helps move the book along. I can't fault the writing and I really enjoyed the premise of this book. I again, I would have liked a little more police investigation, seeing the women squirm a little and just a little more action.

Thank you to the Publisher and good reads for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange or an honest review.
Profile Image for MarilynW.
1,895 reviews4,387 followers
February 3, 2019
I enjoyed this psychological murder mystery that starts with the murder of well liked therapist Michael Baylor. The book varies it's chapters between earlier dates, when Michael was still alive and the present, as a detective is investigating his murder. There are three suspects, two former clients of Michael and a current client of his. We get to see events from the perspective of all three women and each of the women are in various stages of love/like with Michael.

Former client Flora, has been Michael's secret lover for the last two years, current client Lucinda is dealing with past underage sexual trauma, and former client Greer needs help handling her sudden desire for a child after decades of putting her studies and then work before all else. Michael seems to be dedicated and compassionate but has trouble dealing with the boundaries of a client/therapist relationship at times and this problem leads him into difficulties with these three women. None of the characters seem that likable with their self serving ways but I enjoyed trying to figure out who did what and why.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Profile Image for Michelle.
628 reviews230 followers
March 5, 2019
An entertaining novel of psychological intrigue, “Confidential” (2019) is the second book written by Ellie Monago. Dr. Michael Baylor, a never-married highly respected behavioral therapist was found dead in his Oakland California office. When homicide detective Gregory Plath arrived to investigate, he quickly determined that perhaps Dr. Baylor’s “sterling reputation” may not have been the entire truth.

Detective Plath needed to investigate Dr. Baylor’s patients, particularly the three patients who seemed to have been in love with the good therapist. Flora, Lucinda and Greer had their own individual motives for murder and had met together in a local restaurant before Dr, Baylor’s death.
Flora: With her husband Young, the couple had sought Dr. Baylor to assist in getting their marriage back on track. Did Dr. Baylor manipulate this mildly troubled couple’s divorce so he could have Flora for himself? Flora had completely and totally fallen in love with “Michael” and would push him to go public with their secret relationship after the required two year waiting period for therapist client involvement had passed. Flora’s cousin Kate had uncovered some disturbing accusations against Dr, Baylor by former clients.
Lucinda: An only child, raised by a reformed addict and her step-father Adam, who had induced a serious mental illness in Lucinda relating to their guilt ridden sexual relationship. Although Lucinda struggled to come to terms “under the spell of an evil person,” she taught writing workshops and was bored with her job as a proof-reader. Lucinda began to unravel when Adam was placed in a Hospice care and her mother mysteriously disappeared.
Greer: A single feminist career business administrator determined she had missed out by avoiding motherhood. While in therapy with Dr. Baylor, as her biological clock was winding down, all the donor profiles she had studied for artificial insemination were not as “perfect” as Dr. Baylor. Indeed, Dr. Baylor would agree and meet with Greer’s legal team to sign paperwork, but at what cost?

With three of Dr. Baylor’s clients clearly enthralled with their love and desire for him, they discover they are not his “one and only”. Themes of obsession and delusion, stalking, transference take on new meanings. Furthermore, would Dr. Baylor risk his professional reputation to unethically seek and manipulate clients for his own needs and sexual gratification? Detective Plath believed without question he had figured out who had murdered Dr, Baylor, despite the fact he had been denied access by the court to clients medical records due to stringent privacy laws. This is a gripping fast-paced murder-mystery drama and there is never a dull moment in this reading experience. ~ 4* Excellent. **With thanks and appreciation to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.
Profile Image for Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo).
1,549 reviews4,497 followers
February 27, 2019
“Three very different women, with only Dr. Michael Baylor in common, meet in a dim sum restaurant....”

Because of this, they become Detective Gregory Plath’s main suspects in the murder case of this well respected Psychiatrist.

Three alternating narratives:

Flora, a former patient that the good Dr. claims to love...yet because the “code of ethics” won’t allow therapists to date their patients for two years, he keeps their relationship a secret...only meeting at her place, and never taking her out in public...at least that is the excuse he gives her....

Lucinda, a woman trying to process a childhood trauma with Dr. Baylor’s “help”.

Greer, a woman who has never needed more than her career to be happy, until her biological clock starts ticking..

When you make a decision to go to therapy, you assume that the Doctor you confide in is legitimate and trustworthy....

Will one of these women, or perhaps all in collaboration with each other, go as far as murder, if it is discovered that their Doctor isn’t worthy of their trust?

Round and Round and Round it goes....which woman it will end with...nobody knows...

Initially I was interested, with short chapters, moving things along, but the story was drawn out for far too long for me, and I found myself wanting to skim, to get to the end.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Ellie Monago for the digital ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review! Available March 5, 2019 !
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,780 reviews849 followers
March 8, 2019
Confidential by Ellie Monago was just my kind of book. A murder and 3 promising suspects. It is a fast read, although at times it did get a bit caught up and I found it to be a bit too long. The characters are all those you would not want to be friends with, but in this book it worked not liking any of them!

Therapist Michael Baylor has been found dead in his office. Police have 3 main suspects:

- Lucinda - a patient who was seeing him to help deal with her childhood trauma.
- Greer - a career woman who has decided at a late time in her life that she wants a child and is seeing a therapist to help get through it.
Flora - a former patient and Michaels secret lover for the past 2 years.
All have motive and means - but who did it?

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Profile Image for Lisa B..
518 reviews582 followers
May 30, 2019
3.5 stars!

Dr. Michael Baylor, a thriving therapist is found dead and the top 3 female suspects have only one thing in common…the dead therapist. Confidential was an overall page turner with characters you love to hate. I love that it’s written in first person narrative giving each character a distinct voice. I think this could have easily been a 5-star read, however the “open” ending did not work for me and left me a bit disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for Alyssa Smith.
1,183 reviews66 followers
February 18, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC!

What a cast of love-to-hate characters. This was a well written, fast, awesome thriller that kept you digging and guessing. I loved each alternating voice and the power that they gained within themselves along the way. Everyone is damaged and it worked. This was an awesome read, definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Natalie M.
1,437 reviews89 followers
May 3, 2019
This is really woeful. Told from the perspective of 4.2 people...3 women, all of whom need therapy, 1 therapist and the 0.2 is the ‘contribution’ the detective who barely makes any difference to the story. Really why the detective is even in the book should’ve been the sign to stop reading.
The three women lack in just about every way but considering the setting I thought this would improve...alas not. The therapist, was as expected.
The three main POV’s, in this read, is excruciating. The writing style, at best is average and the implausibility of timelines and scenarios is in places, ridiculous!
Don’t waste your reading time as it’s a sacrifice to other better reads.
Profile Image for Jeanette.
1,129 reviews62 followers
February 25, 2019
This is was a good read, but there was something about the story that didn't grip me as much as i thought it would. The plot was good, but there were parts whereby i felt i was losing interest. However, the story soon picked up again. I am not going to write what the story is about as i prefer one to read it for themselves.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy.
Profile Image for Yna from Books and Boybands.
859 reviews403 followers
August 27, 2021
Confidential served as my late-night work companion these past few nights but I can't say anything great about it. It was an okay read, neither good or bad, and it was quite a long one. I don't think I would've finished this as fast I did if I haven't read it via audiobook.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
Author 3 books8 followers
March 28, 2019
This was an interesting book. It could just have easily been called Gaslight, because gaslighting is what it's all about.

You already know the synopsis - a therapist is dead, and three of his clients are suspects. He has had an inappropriate relationship with all of them. Who did it?

The Good
I did enjoy the author's use of switching points of view. I think she did a great job establishing a different voice for each character. The conflicting emotions was semi-effective in making me wonder what was really going on, if these women were unreliable narrators and Michael was just a victim. But no, it's pretty obvious that he's a piece of shit right from the start. Good therapists don't fuck their clients. Not much room for argument there.

The Bad
I was not surprised by who the killer was. In fact, I was a little disappointed by that half-hearted, anticlimactic reveal.

Like many others, I did not care for the detective's perspective. I think he should have been cut from the book entirely.

I didn't understand the incident. It seemed really suspicious that Michael would make such specific remarks, and take so long to get there, but that went nowhere. I also didn't enjoy the Kate storyline. When Flora told Michael that Kate , I thought she was lying again. And then it just made no sense to me, and I didn't feel any emotional impact from it.

The Disappointing
There are some intriguing themes explored here: power balances, abuse, gaslighting, etc. Yet what disappointed me most was the lack of emotion I felt while reading. I have been in a bad relationship myself. I know what it's like for someone to try and rewrite history and refuse to hear what you are telling them. It's frustrating. You want to scream. You can't scream. You become a ball of pressure, because you have no control. When Flora confronted Michael, time and time again, and he rewrote history, time and time again, she knew what he was doing. But I never know how she felt about it. Not really. The whole book felt like that. You could almost relate - but not quite.

Overall
I almost couldn't put this book down. It had me on the hook the whole time, so kudos for that. I do wonder about that ending.
Profile Image for Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo).
1,549 reviews4,497 followers
February 27, 2019
“Three very different women, with only Dr. Michael Baylor in common, meet in a dim sum restaurant....”

Because of this, they become Detective Gregory Plath’s main suspects in the murder case of this well respected Psychiatrist.

Three alternating narratives:

Flora, a former patient that the good Dr. claims to love...yet because the “code of ethics” won’t allow therapists to date their patients for two years, he keeps their relationship a secret...only meeting at her place, and never taking her out in public...at least that is the excuse he gives her....

Lucinda, a woman trying to process a childhood trauma with Dr. Baylor’s “help”.

Greer, a woman who has never needed more than her career to be happy, until her biological clock starts ticking..

When you make a decision to go to therapy, you assume that the Doctor you confide in is legitimate and trustworthy....

Will one of these women, or perhaps all in collaboration with each other, go as far as murder, if it is discovered that their Doctor isn’t worthy of their trust?

Round and Round and Round it goes....which woman it will end with...nobody knows...

Initially I was interested, with short chapters, moving things along, but the story was drawn out for far too long for me, and I found myself wanting to skim, to get to the end.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Ellie Monago for the digital ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review! Available March 5, 2019 !
Profile Image for Marc Bougharios.
602 reviews
June 21, 2019
3.5 stars

The premise for this novel sounded very good and promising and I was very excited to get into it. The novel started off to a very strong start and I was hooked in the first half. But in the second half, it strated to slowed down.

The novel was told in the point of views of Dr. Baylor's patients, Greer, Flora and Lucinda. Each of these women is going through something in their lives and are associated in a non-professional manner to Dr. Baylor. But when Dr. Baylor dies, they are the top three suspects in his murder. Which one of them killed him? Was it all of them? Was it even them?

I loved reading from each point of viee because every women had her issues and it was interesting to see how they were manipulated by Dr. Baylor and how they were so oblivious to it. Sometimes we become so blind to see what is right in front of us. Each women tells her own story from her perspective and that part doesn't get boring.

The good thing about this novel is that when it gets a little slow, it picks up a little after that. Some dull moments in this one, but overall an entertaining read.
Profile Image for Becky.
266 reviews
March 16, 2019
I listened to the audio version of this book and was immediately disappointed by whoever did the voice of Flora. The voice she used sounded like she had a mouthful of crap the entire time and it was cringe worthy! Totally took away from the book and definitely made it so that I didn’t connect with the character because I could hardly stand to listen to her! I realize at the end of the book that it was supposed to be a Russian accent, but that wasn’t mentioned before hand and it certainly didn’t sound like an accent – it sounded like someone with a mouthful trying to talk.
Profile Image for Robin Loves Reading.
2,893 reviews452 followers
February 17, 2019
Dr. Michael Baylor was a successful psychotherapist, especially when it came to his female patients. However, he is now dead and the detective in charge of the case has three potential suspects, Flora, Lucinda and Greer, Detective Gregory Flath certainly has his work cut out for him.

Each woman has a different story. Lucinda is trying to deal with childhood trauma. Greer is a career-driven woman who suddenly is desperate for a child, and is trying to work out the hows and whys. Then there is Flora, who started seeing Dr. Baylor for marriage counseling along with her husband Young.

As far as Flora is concerned, she began an affair with Dr. Baylor and they have been intimate for two years. As much as Flora might be in love with him, she is definitely just as obsessed. This is even to the point of resenting Dr. Baylor's time with his female patients.

Each woman, as things slowly reveal, is caught up in secrets and lies, and thus presenting a motive. Detective Flath is forced to question each of them at length, especially since doctor-patient privilege stands even after Dr. Baylor's death.

Confidential is delivered in knife-sharp precision in the past and present. Presently, the story is told from the detective's point of view. As far as the past is concerned, each woman's story is relayed. It becomes rather easy to see why these women need a therapist. To a large degree, each one of them is unraveled, falling apart at various times for various reasons.

There is not a single likeable character in this story! Yet, it is compelling from page one. Along with the detective, the job of the reader is to ascertain which of the woman is responsible for the murder of Dr. Baylor. Read well. Read carefully, as there are a lot of clues along the way.

What a book! I could not put it down, except for when my body demanded sleep. Otherwise, this would have been a one-sitting read. I enjoyed the writing style of Ellie Monago. I am certain that her real-life job as a therapist went a long way when it came to getting into the minds of Flora, Lucinda and Greer, all the while seeing how manipulative Dr. Baylor actually was.

I definitely found a new favorite author! So much so that I was forced to put aside what I had planned next to read in order to read her previous novel, Neighborly, which was equally engaging. I will be looking forward to anything else this immensely talented author pens.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Charlotte Tomlins.
38 reviews5 followers
March 14, 2019
Meh. I’m not crazy about this one. After hearing it’s plot, I was excited at the thought of uncovering the murder of a seemingly angelic but ultimately evil therapist.

However, I was disappointed. The underlying story is fine. We meet three characters: Flora, Lucinda and Greer. All of whom are/were seeing Dr. Michael Baylor for various reasons. None of the characters in this book are fully developed. We know that Flora is his current lover, she left her husband after seeing Michael for couples counselling. She’s into her looks, and she’s pathetically in love with Michael.

Lucinda is damaged. She’s self-deprecating and pitiful, but she’s my favourite character. We learn the most about her and her horrific childhood through her therapy with Michael, and you really start to feel you know and understand her. And to be frank she’s the most interesting.

Greer is the classic boss-bitch. Driven, hard working and suddenly maternal despite basing her whole life on avoiding such feelings. Again, not much there other than a disconnected relationship with her parents.

The pace wasn’t fast enough for me. I didn’t find myself itching to keep reading when I should be sleeping. There were no suspense moments or anything like that, which leaves me confused about the kind of book this actually was. It is a murder mystery and you do find out “whodunnit” but overall it is surprisingly underwhelming. I actually didn’t care. And the implications that maybe he’s actually not so bad he’s just a human being... didn’t like it. Maybe that’s just me but the darker and the grittier equals the better in my opinion. I wanted him to be a psychopath who preys on vulnerable women.

So, the best part about this book came right at the very end with a plot twist that came way too late. We find out that Lucinda is not what she seems, through Dr. Baylor’s notes on her sessions. Personally, this is the angle I wish the author had taken and further explored. Made for a much more interesting story.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mayar Mahdy.
1,810 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2020
This is my first audiobook that features a narrator with a lisp. It was very cool and more realistic than having all voices be typical.

The story's less dramatic than I expected but still somewhat interesting. It needed more smoke and mirrors.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
987 reviews111 followers
February 17, 2019
Title: Confidential
Author: Ellie Monago
Genre:Adult ( Women fiction)
Pages:430
Lake Union Publishing
Pub date: Mar 5,2019
Book synopsis
From the bestselling author of Neighborly comes a twisty novel of psychological suspense about the lies three women tell to survive, and the ones they'd kill to keep hidden.

Everyone loves therapist Michael Baylor. He's handsome. He's respected. And he's provided a safe place for his female patients. Now he's dead, and a detective is casting a tight net for the murderer--because the good doctor may have done some very bad things with the women who trusted him. That's if their stories check out.

There's Lucinda, who struggled to process her childhood trauma even as she was falling in love with Dr. Baylor. Greer, an accomplished career woman who was torn by her sudden desire to have children, so she went to Dr. Baylor for help but may have gotten more than she bargained for. And then there's Flora, a beautiful former patient who'd been on intimate terms with the man she called Dr. Michael for two years. Some might even say she was obsessed with him.

Three women caught in a tangled web of lies and secrets. And each with a motive for murder. With so much at stake, can any of them be trusted to tell the truth?

My thoughts
rating:5
Would I recommend it?yes a big fat yes
Would I read anything else by this author:yes
How did I find out about this book : Frishawn ( WTF Are You Reading) and Robin ( Robin Loves Reading)
WOW what a read, its a non stop ride through the craziness that is and are the women that are the main characters in the book, couldn't stand them and instead of feeling sorry for them , I hated them for been easy and for felling for his lies and tricks , because Michael was a douchebag and a creep as well as a big fat liar who used women and then throw them away . And don't get me started on the women like i said there was nothing I liked about them and I couldn't feel sorry for them in any way . With that said I want to thank Netgalley for letting read and review it exchange for my honest opinion .
Profile Image for Dora Okeyo.
Author 25 books202 followers
January 5, 2019
You have a therapist who gets clients and somewhere down the line he crosses the line with three women. When he's found dead in his office and the police are called in to investigate, the lead detective thinks "Lucinda's a disaster; Flora's a manipulator; Greer's a liar," but that does not answer the question "who killed Dr. Michael Baylor?"
This story felt like a phase for me. There were some parts that were great, it started out well, I was intrigued by the pace. Somewhere in the middle, I struggled to keep reading but this is exactly where Dr. Baylor was unraveling and I hated that I had to be patient to read through that part. It's an interesting read but I'll add that I was rather disappointed by the ending. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.
96 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2019
I received an Advanced Reader Copy. I am voluntarily leaving a review. This is a murder mystery. Michael, a psychotherapist has been found murdered and three of his female patients are persons of interest. We are given each of their stories in their POV. It is an interesting well-written story. The minute you think you know who did it, you get thrown in another direction. Lucinda, Greer and Flora are all complicated characters. Michael is possibly a sociopath. I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Alyssa Smith.
1,183 reviews66 followers
February 18, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC!

What a cast of love-to-hate characters. This was a well written, fast, awesome thriller that kept you digging and guessing. I loved each alternating voice and the power that they gained within themselves along the way. Everyone is damaged and it worked. This was an awesome read, definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Christie Sitterly.
259 reviews13 followers
September 20, 2018
This is a great whodunnit psychological thriller that will keep you guessing throughout! Author, Ellie Monago, perfectly pieces together the puzzle of a murdered therapist and three of his female clients whom he exerted much influence over. Fans of A.J. Banner and Gilly MacMillan will love this one!
Profile Image for Cristie Underwood.
2,270 reviews63 followers
March 11, 2019
Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!
306 reviews
April 1, 2019
I didn’t even finish this book. All about sex and a messed up therapist and clients. Very erotic writing and many “F” words. Poor, tasteless writing in my opinion.
Profile Image for Sarah.
112 reviews
February 19, 2019
3.5 stars*** Three women and a therapist. The therapist ends up dead.

Confidential by Ellie Monago centers around Dr. Michael Baylor and three of his female patients. These three women are the primary suspects when Michael is found dead in his office. Coincidentally, the three of them met for lunch the day he was killed. Who is the murderer and what are their secrets behind the confidential sessions with Michael?

Ellie Monago tells the story through the perspective of the three women/suspects/patients of Dr. Baylor, and the detective investigating Baylor's case. The story switches between the past and present, and the POVs, which is a good way to tell the story as I can see the story unfold and try to figure out who did what. The three women were nicely developed but I found myself getting frustrated with their stupidity and actions. But I mean, this is why they need a therapist, right? I did not care for the POV of the detective. I thought the author tried a bit too hard to make him a "character." He wasn't really a likable character.


Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was an entertaining and easy read, but it never got to the point where I was on edge trying to figure out who did it. It was kinda of predictable in a sense.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ellie Monago, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
Profile Image for Becky.
Author 9 books3 followers
April 15, 2020
I'm giving it three stars because it was good entertainment but the last chapters were so disappointing !
Profile Image for LMLH.
37 reviews
August 25, 2022
I will admit, I was very intrigued by this book's premise; a classic whodunit with three potential suspects and a victim with a checkered past and questionable ethics. I'm a sucker for thriller suspense novels and I listened to the free audiobook on Youtube and honestly, I was extremely disappointed with this novel, I started off liking it, but it just dwindled in quality.

For anyone curious about the book but not interested in reading it or if you don't care about spoilers, this review is for you, but for those who want to read the book, have a nice day!

This book promises an interesting mystery with unreliable narrators and a victim who might have been a villain the entire time with a misguided morality, but this story was very cliche and felt very soap opera-y than mystery thriller in my view.

First of all, this book is 70 plus chapters long and it did not need to be that long, you could have trimmed out all of the fluff from this book and it could have been a concise mystery story that didn't drag on but also kept your interest. The pacing was jarring when you'd cut from the murder investigation to the women's romantic and maternal woes and honestly those parts were the most boring to me. As a guy, I may not know what a woman goes through, but there aside from Lucinda, the other two women's lives were so boring and paper thin that I just wasn't as invested.

Detective Plath was completely unnecessary to the story in my opinion. I understand thrillers, suspense and mystery narratives need a law enforcement POV to give a third-party view of the case, but in all honesty, this guy spent his entire chapters repeating information we already knew from the main three ladies POVs, he spent more time complaining about the women's uncooperativeness and going into random soapbox rants and in the end, this so called veteran detective never even figured out who killed Michael Baylor, someone please revoke this man of his badge and his gun, because this is some sloppy detective work in action, especially when you know how the killer did it. It's like he was just there, just to fulfill the detective POV quota, and it shows.

A lot of reviews never say who the killer is, so if you don't want to be spoiled, it's Lucinda's mother. If you ask me this plot twist was to be expected, but how does someone who kills another person in a public building in the heat of the moment, not leave any trace evidence behind or any signs of a struggle!? You mean to tell me that this woman, who never even knew her second husband was molesting her daughter for years, is able to mastermind this capricious murder plot and somehow leave no DNA behind or even a fingerprint, this is ridiculous.

I liked Lucinda's chapters, she felt like a real person and her scenes where she was reliving her trauma and being seduced by another man in power was very poetic. Her chapters were enjoyable even if some sections were hard to get through. I will say that I'm happy they didn't make her a crazed killer hiding some secret persona or something, but even then, she was likable enough, which is not saying much considering the other two leading ladies are very insufferable in their own ways.

Flora is the crazy ex who is hellbent on taking down Michael for dumping her and can I just say that whoever was doing her Russian accent, it sounded like a bad attempt at a lisp, and it was hard to understand what she was saying the entire time I was listening to the audiobook. I honestly wish Flora wasn't so dumb in this book, she has every opportunity not to take the wrong path, instead she does things that make her look even more guilty and she doesn't follow through with it most of the time, even when she has the chance to expose Michael, she starts to reminiscence about how he romanced her, and I found myself really bored of their melodrama.

Greer could have been cut out of this novel and you'd not miss a thing. Her gimmick is that she's the no nonsense blunt businesswoman who doesn't have time for your foolish antics, but I could not relate to her maternal wishes at all. Also, why does she need to give up her successful job just because she has a kid? Has she never heard of babysitters or nannies to watch over her baby? For someone who says she's not going to fall for his nonsense, she was quick to wrap herself around his fingers the moment he gave her what she wanted. She was the most annoying out of the three leads, she wasn't as bad as the detective, but her chapters were a bit tedious.

I wanted to strangle Michael Baylor, this man is such a hypocrite and I know that's the point of the novel, to showcase his dark secrets, but I fail to see how he could have redeemed himself when he's pretty much screwed himself over. This guy lost his mind when he found out his girlfriend talked to ONE person about their "secret" relationship even though she wasn't a patient of his for about two years, by his logic she didn't do much of anything, she said she trusted her cousin to not tell, and he just goes ballistic on her like the man-child he is. Oh, but I'm supposed to believe that this lying, cheating douchebag is suddenly going to turn over a new leaf because he felt sympathetic to Greer and wanted to raise her baby alongside her even though he didn't want to before as a sperm donor? Get the hell out of here with that nonsense. This man has seduced and used his power against his female clients for years, suddenly this woman is the one to change him, I don't believe that for a second.

I know that some mysteries have victims who are completely evil one way or the other, but at least you could somewhat sympathize with them. Michael was an idiot and I have no remorse for this tool at all, he got what was coming to him.

Overall, this book had a lot going for it with it's simple yet effective premise, but in my view, it had terrible pacing with too many chapters, an unlikable cast of idiots, a detective who can't do his freaking job correctly, a victim whose better off dead and a bait and switch premise that promises a thriller but ends up feeling like an episode of the Young and the Restless.

My rating is a 1.5 out of 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Alesha Cary.
518 reviews9 followers
April 7, 2019
Exactly what was this?

I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this book. I feel a little like I just watched an episode of 48 hours where Snooki, Ariana Grande, and Glenn Close were all being treated by a therapist portrayed by Michael Douglas...

The Good: The mystery angle is interesting enough.

The Eh: The principle narrators are just so ... icky... and the supporting characters seem extraneous, like the warning tags on furniture that tell you NOT TO REMOVE them. Kate, Mom, and Chenille (?!?!? - Chenille?) are so conveniently in and out of the plot line that it seems ridiculous.

The Ugly: I think therapists and therapy are important for people who have experienced trauma, and after reading this book, I’m a little disturbed that the therapist was maybe predatory. Either that, or I am disturbed that the women are all truly demented. Either way, I’m still wondering what I just read.

So to wrap all this up, Snooki, Ariana, and Glenn are having dinner at an Asian restaurant, when in walks Michael Douglas... you get the idea.
Profile Image for Jypsy .
1,524 reviews72 followers
January 8, 2019
A psychological thriller with a realistic premise. This story could have walked out of the news in today's world. It's an interesting plot with mysterious characters. I enjoyed the book.
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