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The Prisoner
" With Behind Closed Doors , New York Times bestselling author B. A. Paris took the psychological thriller to shocking new heights. Now she'll hold you captive with THE PRISONER—a stunning new thriller about one woman wed into a family with deadly intentions.
Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a life for herself, she is swept up into a glamorous lifestyle where she married the handsome billionaire Ned Hawthorne.
But then, Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned?
In the vein of Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist , multimillion-copy bestseller B. A. Paris is back with a gripping new suspense novel. "
Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a life for herself, she is swept up into a glamorous lifestyle where she married the handsome billionaire Ned Hawthorne.
But then, Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned?
In the vein of Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist , multimillion-copy bestseller B. A. Paris is back with a gripping new suspense novel. "
447 pages, Library Binding
First published November 1, 2022
3026 people are currently reading
87601 people want to read
About the author
B.A. Paris
30 books23.4k followersB.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times Number 1 bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors.
Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with a film of The Breakdown, titled Blackwater Lane, in post production.
Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris worked as a bank trader and teacher in France. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England, where she lives with her husband with visits from her five grown-up daughters. She has a newsletter baparis.com and is on social media @baparisauthor
Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with a film of The Breakdown, titled Blackwater Lane, in post production.
Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris worked as a bank trader and teacher in France. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England, where she lives with her husband with visits from her five grown-up daughters. She has a newsletter baparis.com and is on social media @baparisauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,813 reviews
November 1, 2022
This was like a B list movie to me-you know the kind…you aren’t sure if it’s bad acting or if the actors have just been given bad lines……🫣
Part One: The Kidnapping -told in the alternating timelines of the present and the past.
In the present, Amelie and her wealthy husband Ned have been kidnapped and held for ransom. Admittedly, I don’t enjoy captivity stories.
In the Past, Amelie, orphaned at 16, naive and gullible, takes herself to London after her Papa’s death, and manages to get herself a job as a live-in housekeeper/cook after following a woman home from a coffee shop. (Really?)
Carolyn, the woman who takes her in, ends up befriending her, and she is welcomed into her Worldly circle of friends, where she will eventually meet her husband, Ned. (Really?)
Part Two: The Reckoning
Amelie finds out just how dangerous certain people can be.
But, she will send a message to one of them that “she is coming for him-wherever he is!!”
😮 Ooh! I bet HE is scared now!! (Really??)
Amelie will seek answers from someone she thinks she has a special connection with (a stretch!) and a conversation that lasts way too long will fill in the blanks-TELLING us why the kidnapping occurred.
I have enjoyed most of this author’s previous work, but this one was a BIG miss for me! If I wasn’t buddy reading it with DeAnn, it would have been a DNF!
Although I found the entire story to be OTT and impossible to buy into-there are many 5 star reviews for this as well-so read a few reviews before deciding if you think it’s a good fit for you! And, be sure to read DeAnn’s take on it in her amazing review!!
Available Now!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy offered through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!
Part One: The Kidnapping -told in the alternating timelines of the present and the past.
In the present, Amelie and her wealthy husband Ned have been kidnapped and held for ransom. Admittedly, I don’t enjoy captivity stories.
In the Past, Amelie, orphaned at 16, naive and gullible, takes herself to London after her Papa’s death, and manages to get herself a job as a live-in housekeeper/cook after following a woman home from a coffee shop. (Really?)
Carolyn, the woman who takes her in, ends up befriending her, and she is welcomed into her Worldly circle of friends, where she will eventually meet her husband, Ned. (Really?)
Part Two: The Reckoning
Amelie finds out just how dangerous certain people can be.
But, she will send a message to one of them that “she is coming for him-wherever he is!!”
😮 Ooh! I bet HE is scared now!! (Really??)
Amelie will seek answers from someone she thinks she has a special connection with (a stretch!) and a conversation that lasts way too long will fill in the blanks-TELLING us why the kidnapping occurred.
I have enjoyed most of this author’s previous work, but this one was a BIG miss for me! If I wasn’t buddy reading it with DeAnn, it would have been a DNF!
Although I found the entire story to be OTT and impossible to buy into-there are many 5 star reviews for this as well-so read a few reviews before deciding if you think it’s a good fit for you! And, be sure to read DeAnn’s take on it in her amazing review!!
Available Now!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy offered through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!
November 22, 2023
Another book that I have complex feelings for! Firstly I have to admit this is not my favorite book of B. A. Paris! But it is still easy to read and captivating!
Here are my thoughts:
Pros:
Plot line:
Plot line is unique: a young woman married with a billionaire is kidnapped with her husband but being prisoner in a dark room is far better than her imprisonment of marriage!
Writing style and pacing:
Mystery builds slowly by going back and forth between timelines. Short chapters and past-present’s eventual colliding keep you excited. You want to know why people kidnapped Amelia and her despicable husband Ned and the reason behind their marriage!
Twists and story’s unfolding:
At the end: all the pieces of puzzle were positioned at the right places. The questions were mostly answered. Some of the answers were a little far fetched but they are still satisfying enough.
Likable heroine: Amelie, orphan, trying to survive in England to find her way, is naive, good hearted girl evolving into a bold, damaged, tough woman. The character development of Amelia is great and she’s easy to connect with.
Cons:
Broken heroine:
Things happened to Amelie were too tough. I actually felt too sorry for the girl. Even the ones have good intentions around her circle didn’t come to her help.
Character development:
Instead of Amelie, there were so many characters are lacking of depth and development. I can differentiate Amelia’s three friends by their occupation but they have no extra characteristic attributes.
Ned, Amelie’s husband is real villain without a back story. Why is the reason he turned into a monster? He had a difficult relationship with his father but could it be only reason of his wrongdoings?
It’s obvious there’s nothing charming about him so I still have questions why Amelie married him at the first place. She’s kind, lack of life experience but the her abrupt decision made her extra naive and make us question of character’s credibility.
Overall: I found pacing fast and the twists smart enough to read this book in one sitting! Amelie’s naiveness and wrong decisions can be justified by her young age and having nobody to depend on.
The positive attributes of the book absolutely surpassed the negative ones so I decided to round up 3.5 stars to 4 claustrophobic, dark, twisty, thought provoking stars!
I still think I expected more from the author but this is still solid, action packed, smart, well written work. Especially I recommend it to thriller lovers and the author’s dedicated fans like me!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Here are my thoughts:
Pros:
Plot line:
Plot line is unique: a young woman married with a billionaire is kidnapped with her husband but being prisoner in a dark room is far better than her imprisonment of marriage!
Writing style and pacing:
Mystery builds slowly by going back and forth between timelines. Short chapters and past-present’s eventual colliding keep you excited. You want to know why people kidnapped Amelia and her despicable husband Ned and the reason behind their marriage!
Twists and story’s unfolding:
At the end: all the pieces of puzzle were positioned at the right places. The questions were mostly answered. Some of the answers were a little far fetched but they are still satisfying enough.
Likable heroine: Amelie, orphan, trying to survive in England to find her way, is naive, good hearted girl evolving into a bold, damaged, tough woman. The character development of Amelia is great and she’s easy to connect with.
Cons:
Broken heroine:
Things happened to Amelie were too tough. I actually felt too sorry for the girl. Even the ones have good intentions around her circle didn’t come to her help.
Character development:
Instead of Amelie, there were so many characters are lacking of depth and development. I can differentiate Amelia’s three friends by their occupation but they have no extra characteristic attributes.
Ned, Amelie’s husband is real villain without a back story. Why is the reason he turned into a monster? He had a difficult relationship with his father but could it be only reason of his wrongdoings?
It’s obvious there’s nothing charming about him so I still have questions why Amelie married him at the first place. She’s kind, lack of life experience but the her abrupt decision made her extra naive and make us question of character’s credibility.
Overall: I found pacing fast and the twists smart enough to read this book in one sitting! Amelie’s naiveness and wrong decisions can be justified by her young age and having nobody to depend on.
The positive attributes of the book absolutely surpassed the negative ones so I decided to round up 3.5 stars to 4 claustrophobic, dark, twisty, thought provoking stars!
I still think I expected more from the author but this is still solid, action packed, smart, well written work. Especially I recommend it to thriller lovers and the author’s dedicated fans like me!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
August 28, 2022
My fifth by the author and least favorite!
This one has an interesting premise. A woman, Amelie, has her own motivations for marrying a billionaire named Hawthorne. He has his own motivations and lays out a "quickie marriage" plan that seemingly should work well for both of them. You can probably guess that it doesn't!!
I wasn't able to get invested in any of the characters or feel any emotional attachment. Also, the pacing was just off. I've read some of her other novels that were very pacy and addictive.
Even the chapters where Amelie is held in a dark room weren't very suspenseful. The kidnapping chapters were repetitive and lackluster and didn't build much tension. Amelie does have some moments where she shows strength and I was glad to see this development, but she still felt flat.
In the end, this story didn't work for me. The plot holes were hard to overlook, too much explaining was going on and the boring characters made me feel like the prisoner.
Hoping she gets back to her page turner style and has a hit on the next one!
Thanks NG for my arc. OUT November 1, 2022
This one has an interesting premise. A woman, Amelie, has her own motivations for marrying a billionaire named Hawthorne. He has his own motivations and lays out a "quickie marriage" plan that seemingly should work well for both of them. You can probably guess that it doesn't!!
I wasn't able to get invested in any of the characters or feel any emotional attachment. Also, the pacing was just off. I've read some of her other novels that were very pacy and addictive.
Even the chapters where Amelie is held in a dark room weren't very suspenseful. The kidnapping chapters were repetitive and lackluster and didn't build much tension. Amelie does have some moments where she shows strength and I was glad to see this development, but she still felt flat.
In the end, this story didn't work for me. The plot holes were hard to overlook, too much explaining was going on and the boring characters made me feel like the prisoner.
Hoping she gets back to her page turner style and has a hit on the next one!
Thanks NG for my arc. OUT November 1, 2022
August 4, 2024
**3.5-stars**
When Amelie was a teenager, her father passed away after struggling with an illness. She had already lost her mother, so suddenly found herself alone.
With no money and no desire to go into the state system, Amelie disappeared to London, where she set about making a life for herself.
She works hard at it too. It's a struggle. Sometimes with no other options, she was forced to sleep on the streets. She works in restaurants mostly, but that industry doesn't necessarily equal security for a young woman still in her teens. Nevertheless, she pushes on.
Her luck seems to turn around on the day that she meets Carolyn. Carolyn is a successful business woman, recently separated from her husband, who sees something in Amelie and offers her a job as a live-in housekeeper.
That's how Amelie's world changes. She now has friends she can count on, a safe and comfortable place to live, as well as a good salary. She begins to live the life that other, more privileged girls, her age are living.
Soon she is moving up in the world and it's through a new job that she meets Ned Hawthorpe, a business man, technically her new boss and the heir to a vast fortune.
Whilst on a business trip to Vegas, Ned offers Amelie a deal. If she marries him, he'll give her something she really desires. Who would think that something could go wrong from this?
Thus begins the spiral for poor Amelie.
There's a kidnapping. There's a hostage situation. There's much back-and-forth filling it all in. Why has Amelie been kidnapped and will she be able to make it out of this horrible situation alive?
As with all her other novels, this book begins with a bang right out of the gate. That's one thing I always appreciate about Paris's writing. There's no beating around the bush, or wasted eons of build-up, her stories start very, very quickly.
Usually within the first few pages, you're in it. This book is no exception.
Then the narrative alternates between the present, which includes Amelie being held hostage reflecting on her situation, what could have lead her here and how she can get out of it, and the past, which fills the Reader in on Amelie's life from the time her father died, up to the present.
I generally enjoy when stories are formatted this way and I did enjoy it in this case as well. I also enjoyed the short chapters, which made the pace feel very quick. I literally read this in a day.
Unfortunately, not all elements worked as well.
This sort of felt like an early 90s-Lifetime movie. Now, let me be clear, I love a good Lifetime movie now and again. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Lifetime movies. Please don't come at me.
However, this was forced drama and way over-the-top. I usually love over-the-top, that's sort of my brand. Even things that are fairly unbelievable, but for some reason the tone of this, the feel of some of the circumstances, just did not work for me.
All the male characters were practically indistinguishable from one another. I was almost at the end and one of them was mentioned and I thought, who the hell is that? It took me completely out of the story. I'm still confused about who he was and he played a pivotal role in the plot.
With all of this being said, it was suspenseful and it did keep me fairly engaged, but I have read all of B.A. Paris's works and when I see her name on a cover, I get excited.
Admittedly, I expect a lot and maybe that's on me, but honestly, this one disappointed me a bit. It is a good book, there is a fun story within these pages that will keep a lot of Readers on the edges of their seats. Sadly, for me, it just wasn't as great as I was expecting.
Don't take my word for it though, pick it up for yourself. If it sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a go!
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm glad I read it and am already looking forward to seeing what B.A. Paris will come up with next!
When Amelie was a teenager, her father passed away after struggling with an illness. She had already lost her mother, so suddenly found herself alone.
With no money and no desire to go into the state system, Amelie disappeared to London, where she set about making a life for herself.
She works hard at it too. It's a struggle. Sometimes with no other options, she was forced to sleep on the streets. She works in restaurants mostly, but that industry doesn't necessarily equal security for a young woman still in her teens. Nevertheless, she pushes on.
Her luck seems to turn around on the day that she meets Carolyn. Carolyn is a successful business woman, recently separated from her husband, who sees something in Amelie and offers her a job as a live-in housekeeper.
That's how Amelie's world changes. She now has friends she can count on, a safe and comfortable place to live, as well as a good salary. She begins to live the life that other, more privileged girls, her age are living.
Soon she is moving up in the world and it's through a new job that she meets Ned Hawthorpe, a business man, technically her new boss and the heir to a vast fortune.
Whilst on a business trip to Vegas, Ned offers Amelie a deal. If she marries him, he'll give her something she really desires. Who would think that something could go wrong from this?
Thus begins the spiral for poor Amelie.
There's a kidnapping. There's a hostage situation. There's much back-and-forth filling it all in. Why has Amelie been kidnapped and will she be able to make it out of this horrible situation alive?
As with all her other novels, this book begins with a bang right out of the gate. That's one thing I always appreciate about Paris's writing. There's no beating around the bush, or wasted eons of build-up, her stories start very, very quickly.
Usually within the first few pages, you're in it. This book is no exception.
Then the narrative alternates between the present, which includes Amelie being held hostage reflecting on her situation, what could have lead her here and how she can get out of it, and the past, which fills the Reader in on Amelie's life from the time her father died, up to the present.
I generally enjoy when stories are formatted this way and I did enjoy it in this case as well. I also enjoyed the short chapters, which made the pace feel very quick. I literally read this in a day.
Unfortunately, not all elements worked as well.
This sort of felt like an early 90s-Lifetime movie. Now, let me be clear, I love a good Lifetime movie now and again. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Lifetime movies. Please don't come at me.
However, this was forced drama and way over-the-top. I usually love over-the-top, that's sort of my brand. Even things that are fairly unbelievable, but for some reason the tone of this, the feel of some of the circumstances, just did not work for me.
All the male characters were practically indistinguishable from one another. I was almost at the end and one of them was mentioned and I thought, who the hell is that? It took me completely out of the story. I'm still confused about who he was and he played a pivotal role in the plot.
With all of this being said, it was suspenseful and it did keep me fairly engaged, but I have read all of B.A. Paris's works and when I see her name on a cover, I get excited.
Admittedly, I expect a lot and maybe that's on me, but honestly, this one disappointed me a bit. It is a good book, there is a fun story within these pages that will keep a lot of Readers on the edges of their seats. Sadly, for me, it just wasn't as great as I was expecting.
Don't take my word for it though, pick it up for yourself. If it sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a go!
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm glad I read it and am already looking forward to seeing what B.A. Paris will come up with next!
October 10, 2023
I’ve seen some mixed reviews for this one, but I found myself liking it. It was a refreshing plot, and I liked the main character which was a major plus. Ned was a despicable character and I must confess to liking that he fell down from his high horse without anyone helping him up again. I felt the tension through the book, and liked the ending. I saw some of it coming, but it didn’t matter. All in all I’m glad I read it despite putting it off due to bad reviews!
November 18, 2022
**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and B.A. Paris for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 11.1!**
How would you feel if you were trapped in a cardboard box?
(Kept PRISONER, if you will) 😉
Frustrated? Uncomfortable? Claustrophobic? Confused as to WHY and HOW you ended up trapped in said box?
After sighing, grumbling, and eye-rolling my way through most of The Prisoner...those feelings were a LITTLE too close to home.
Amelie is locked in a pitch black room, being held captive...but she's not sure why. She can hear husband Ned, but she isn't sure if he's free...and frankly, she hopes HE is next on the perp's 'to harm' list.
...But how exactly did she get here?
It all started with the loss of her parents: her mother at a young age, and Papa more recently, to a terrible illness. After moving from Paris to London, Amelie tries to forge ahead with her adult life and process her grief...until she happens to meet a woman named Carolyn (quite randomly) who THEN gets her somehow entangled with playboy billionaire Ned Hawthorne, whose father has a well-known foundation. When Ned presents her with an interesting proposition that will end in marriage, it seems like all of Amelie's dreams are coming true at once and a new and exciting life is just around the corner...so why now does her imprisonment seem like her ONLY hope for escape?
I had trouble even writing that synopsis, to be honest.
WHY, you ask?
I thought Paris' book the Dilemma was implausible...and it is. However, this one took the word 'implausible' to a whole new level. This is the sort of book that not only requires a suspension of disbelief, but a complete willingness to forego logic ENTIRELY...and a willingness to be okay with the fact that about 75% of it doesn't really make any sense.
Characters flit from place to place to serve the plot. Conversational exchanges happen that would NEVER happen in real life. Though the chapters are short and I was still able to blow through this in a few days, it was somewhat of a torturous experience. I kept wanting there to be emotional depth, surprising reveals, ANYTHING to make it make sense and make it seem like the plot was truly going somewhere interesting...but that never happened.
The beginning portion of the book (with Amelie's imprisonment) was supposedly the more fast-paced and interesting part of the story...but I found it mind-numbing and once some reveals occurred, beyond silly. It reminded me of the sort of over-the-top dramatics you see in a bad action movie revolving around a hostage situation, and those are certainly not my cup of tea. The second part of the book was EVEN LONGER and didn't lead me to any sort of interesting takeaway. Amelie is a bit of a naive MC on top of everything else, so not only was it hard to feel sorry for her, but frankly they probably should have just left her in the room from part one. I'm sure she would have figured out what was going on....eventually. 🙃
Though Paris is undoubtedly a talented author who has put out thrillers I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed, this one left me wondering if I actually ENJOYED The Dilemma by comparison.
...And I'm sorry to say it Amelie, but I think the TRUE Prisoner in this scenario was me.
2.5 stars
How would you feel if you were trapped in a cardboard box?
(Kept PRISONER, if you will) 😉
Frustrated? Uncomfortable? Claustrophobic? Confused as to WHY and HOW you ended up trapped in said box?
After sighing, grumbling, and eye-rolling my way through most of The Prisoner...those feelings were a LITTLE too close to home.
Amelie is locked in a pitch black room, being held captive...but she's not sure why. She can hear husband Ned, but she isn't sure if he's free...and frankly, she hopes HE is next on the perp's 'to harm' list.
...But how exactly did she get here?
It all started with the loss of her parents: her mother at a young age, and Papa more recently, to a terrible illness. After moving from Paris to London, Amelie tries to forge ahead with her adult life and process her grief...until she happens to meet a woman named Carolyn (quite randomly) who THEN gets her somehow entangled with playboy billionaire Ned Hawthorne, whose father has a well-known foundation. When Ned presents her with an interesting proposition that will end in marriage, it seems like all of Amelie's dreams are coming true at once and a new and exciting life is just around the corner...so why now does her imprisonment seem like her ONLY hope for escape?
I had trouble even writing that synopsis, to be honest.
WHY, you ask?
I thought Paris' book the Dilemma was implausible...and it is. However, this one took the word 'implausible' to a whole new level. This is the sort of book that not only requires a suspension of disbelief, but a complete willingness to forego logic ENTIRELY...and a willingness to be okay with the fact that about 75% of it doesn't really make any sense.
Characters flit from place to place to serve the plot. Conversational exchanges happen that would NEVER happen in real life. Though the chapters are short and I was still able to blow through this in a few days, it was somewhat of a torturous experience. I kept wanting there to be emotional depth, surprising reveals, ANYTHING to make it make sense and make it seem like the plot was truly going somewhere interesting...but that never happened.
The beginning portion of the book (with Amelie's imprisonment) was supposedly the more fast-paced and interesting part of the story...but I found it mind-numbing and once some reveals occurred, beyond silly. It reminded me of the sort of over-the-top dramatics you see in a bad action movie revolving around a hostage situation, and those are certainly not my cup of tea. The second part of the book was EVEN LONGER and didn't lead me to any sort of interesting takeaway. Amelie is a bit of a naive MC on top of everything else, so not only was it hard to feel sorry for her, but frankly they probably should have just left her in the room from part one. I'm sure she would have figured out what was going on....eventually. 🙃
Though Paris is undoubtedly a talented author who has put out thrillers I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed, this one left me wondering if I actually ENJOYED The Dilemma by comparison.
...And I'm sorry to say it Amelie, but I think the TRUE Prisoner in this scenario was me.
2.5 stars
July 31, 2022
3.5⭐
Starts off with a bang!💥 You’ll be hooked after the first chapter!
Ah, if only it would’ve remained that way!🤦♀️
No question, Amelie has had a rough life. Orphaned at the age of 17, she was rescued off the streets by a woman who would give her a job, a home and friendship. But after moving on to a new job with tycoon Ned Hawthorpe, her life once again is about to spin out of control.
Ned proposes (excuse the pun) a trip to Vegas and a quickie marriage in name only. He’s hoping to get his father off his back and sway the press that he’s a good family man. He just has to convince Amelie to go along with the charade for one month, then they can go their separate ways.
But who exactly did Amelie marry?
Short, quick chapters filled with white-knuckled suspense as the kidnapping takes place! Who is behind the kidnapping? And why? What will happen if the ransom isn't met?
Loved the first half of the book! But the ending just came apart at the seams. Endless explanation as to why and how the kidnapping happened. To the point I just wanted to scream “enough already”! Just too much!
And even after all the extended commentary on the kidnapping I was still left with unanswered questions!🤷♀️
Sadly, what began as a five-star read quickly lost its shine and the stars just fell away.😔
A buddy read with Susanne that left us both frustrated by the end!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
Starts off with a bang!💥 You’ll be hooked after the first chapter!
Ah, if only it would’ve remained that way!🤦♀️
No question, Amelie has had a rough life. Orphaned at the age of 17, she was rescued off the streets by a woman who would give her a job, a home and friendship. But after moving on to a new job with tycoon Ned Hawthorpe, her life once again is about to spin out of control.
Ned proposes (excuse the pun) a trip to Vegas and a quickie marriage in name only. He’s hoping to get his father off his back and sway the press that he’s a good family man. He just has to convince Amelie to go along with the charade for one month, then they can go their separate ways.
But who exactly did Amelie marry?
Short, quick chapters filled with white-knuckled suspense as the kidnapping takes place! Who is behind the kidnapping? And why? What will happen if the ransom isn't met?
Loved the first half of the book! But the ending just came apart at the seams. Endless explanation as to why and how the kidnapping happened. To the point I just wanted to scream “enough already”! Just too much!
And even after all the extended commentary on the kidnapping I was still left with unanswered questions!🤷♀️
Sadly, what began as a five-star read quickly lost its shine and the stars just fell away.😔
A buddy read with Susanne that left us both frustrated by the end!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
September 9, 2022
Oh how I hate writing a bad review…this is my first book by this author and I am sad to say it just wasn’t for me. Let’s start with some positives…I liked the two timelines of the past and present and what was unusual for me was the fact that I enjoyed the present chapters much more than the past. I found the pacing quicker and of course, the tension of being kidnapped, locked up, and isolated in a completely dark room was nerve-wracking to read, the terror Amelie was feeling was palatable. The past chapters made me have to suspend my belief a little too much for my liking and it wasn’t exciting enough to be considered a “popcorn thriller”, which I do enjoy.
I didn’t like any of the characters in this book at all, I had absolutely no one to cheer on or for. I didn’t really care what happened to Amelie or Ned and felt no emotional attachment to them. I found the story to be very repetitive, the same thing over and over again, and this affected the character development. I also found the writing to be a little disjointed, it was as if two different people wrote the book. I figured out the kidnapper almost right away, maybe that was done intentionally, I do not know. This was such a great premise but I found the execution lacking, I think the author tried to make it be too much all at once, and that ending was really disappointing.
Let’s end with something positive, I always like to “sandwich” bad reviews…positive-negative-positive. I really liked the short chapters as they made me feel the tension even more and helped with the pacing. The book is pretty short, was a quick read that kept me engaged, and was finished in a single sitting.
I didn’t like any of the characters in this book at all, I had absolutely no one to cheer on or for. I didn’t really care what happened to Amelie or Ned and felt no emotional attachment to them. I found the story to be very repetitive, the same thing over and over again, and this affected the character development. I also found the writing to be a little disjointed, it was as if two different people wrote the book. I figured out the kidnapper almost right away, maybe that was done intentionally, I do not know. This was such a great premise but I found the execution lacking, I think the author tried to make it be too much all at once, and that ending was really disappointing.
Let’s end with something positive, I always like to “sandwich” bad reviews…positive-negative-positive. I really liked the short chapters as they made me feel the tension even more and helped with the pacing. The book is pretty short, was a quick read that kept me engaged, and was finished in a single sitting.
October 29, 2022
this story feels really low budget. like, if it were a film, it would have skimped on the actors, writing/plot development, and set design. its a movie that youre willing to watch, but maybe one you put on in the background while you do other things. and i know books arent produced like films, but i cant find another way to describe how this feels.
i will say that i do enjoy “taken captive” stories, so even though the narrative is repetitive and the events themselves wholly unrealistic, i still really enjoyed the concept. and i loved the short chapters! for me, mystery/thrillers have to have short chapters to keep my attention, so im very grateful for that.
and although there are certain aspects of this that are positives for me personally, im just not sure the overall story/characters/writing is effective enough to create a super compelling story. but BAP has a lot of other great books, so im not too worried about this one.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press.
↠ 3 stars
i will say that i do enjoy “taken captive” stories, so even though the narrative is repetitive and the events themselves wholly unrealistic, i still really enjoyed the concept. and i loved the short chapters! for me, mystery/thrillers have to have short chapters to keep my attention, so im very grateful for that.
and although there are certain aspects of this that are positives for me personally, im just not sure the overall story/characters/writing is effective enough to create a super compelling story. but BAP has a lot of other great books, so im not too worried about this one.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press.
↠ 3 stars
October 19, 2022
This was a bit better than previous books I've read by this author, but I'm not really sure she's for me. The Prisoner, while exciting at first, was really predictable and didn't really offer me anything unique or surprising.
The novel is a fast paced story, divided between the past of Amelie being orphaned as a teen and making her way to London where she eventually marries Ned, and the present day where she and Ned have been kidnapped and are being held prisoner by unknown people.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job at keeping the tension going when it started to get tedious. At about 75% in I had a general idea of what was going on and I ended up being correct. Sometimes this doesn't take away from the story, but in this case it did. Especially since we get an info dump at the end where it is all explained to the reader, even though we should all be bright enough to put it together without the wrap up. (Side note, this is the second book in recent days that has done this and it's frustrating.)
Overall it's not a terrible book though. The storyline is entertaining and kept my interest throughout. Fans of this author's other books should really enjoy this latest offering.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The novel is a fast paced story, divided between the past of Amelie being orphaned as a teen and making her way to London where she eventually marries Ned, and the present day where she and Ned have been kidnapped and are being held prisoner by unknown people.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job at keeping the tension going when it started to get tedious. At about 75% in I had a general idea of what was going on and I ended up being correct. Sometimes this doesn't take away from the story, but in this case it did. Especially since we get an info dump at the end where it is all explained to the reader, even though we should all be bright enough to put it together without the wrap up. (Side note, this is the second book in recent days that has done this and it's frustrating.)
Overall it's not a terrible book though. The storyline is entertaining and kept my interest throughout. Fans of this author's other books should really enjoy this latest offering.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 9, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this one and a mixed experience with this author.
The story started well, and initially I was intrigued but then I felt I was reading a book from a different author. We delve into the past to unravel the secrets, and the truth worth killing for, but then the story lost its momentum as we alternated timelines and stories, to the point I nearly didn’t finish.
It also felt a bit far-fetched, which is my personal pet hate in a crime / thriller. If someone ate my left overs in a restaurant and followed me home, I would feel spooked. I would offer to buy homeless people food but the last thing I would do is offer them a job as a live-in housemaid. Who knows what you would be dealing with 'behind closed doors' - The authors other book I loved. Back to prison then and read on another few pages - not much mind you and Amelie has the dream job – meh.
The premise of the story was interesting and some of the individual scenes were quite frightening which I enjoyed along with the short sharp chapters to help build that sense of time and suspense.
However, the storytelling, the one-dimensional characters and the implausibility let it down and it became a struggle to finish. Captivated - absolutely not.
Having read the book blurp and being gifted this as a present, I felt ‘bound’ to read, which didn’t end well. Nevertheless, please read other reviews on this because I might be a bit of an outlier. However, I read, I stuck with it, I didn’t like and that’s the end of this particular story. I've been released!!!
The story started well, and initially I was intrigued but then I felt I was reading a book from a different author. We delve into the past to unravel the secrets, and the truth worth killing for, but then the story lost its momentum as we alternated timelines and stories, to the point I nearly didn’t finish.
It also felt a bit far-fetched, which is my personal pet hate in a crime / thriller. If someone ate my left overs in a restaurant and followed me home, I would feel spooked. I would offer to buy homeless people food but the last thing I would do is offer them a job as a live-in housemaid. Who knows what you would be dealing with 'behind closed doors' - The authors other book I loved. Back to prison then and read on another few pages - not much mind you and Amelie has the dream job – meh.
The premise of the story was interesting and some of the individual scenes were quite frightening which I enjoyed along with the short sharp chapters to help build that sense of time and suspense.
However, the storytelling, the one-dimensional characters and the implausibility let it down and it became a struggle to finish. Captivated - absolutely not.
Having read the book blurp and being gifted this as a present, I felt ‘bound’ to read, which didn’t end well. Nevertheless, please read other reviews on this because I might be a bit of an outlier. However, I read, I stuck with it, I didn’t like and that’s the end of this particular story. I've been released!!!
November 2, 2022
The Prisoner begins with all the fraught tension you’d want in a thriller but quickly unravelled the longer it went on.
It opens with vicious men snatching Amelie and her wealthy husband in the middle of the night. She tries and fails to identify her captors.
The story alternates between Amelie’s recent past and her present time in captivity.
As a teenager, Amelie moved to London on her own after both of her parents passed away. Not long after her move, she met Carolyn Blakely, who took her under her wing, giving her a housekeeping job and a place to live.
Now, a few years later, Amelie is the wife of the wealthy Ned Hawthorpe.
The first half of this book was super compelling, but the rest went on longer than it probably needed to. It felt like some parts were spoon-fed to the reader.
Much of the story was OTT, but I was still eagerly flipping the pages, keen to see how everything tied together.
I liked Amelie’s initiative to try to gain some control of the situation when she was in captivity.
This book was my first time reading B. A. Paris, and I will definitely check out more of her books in the future.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
It opens with vicious men snatching Amelie and her wealthy husband in the middle of the night. She tries and fails to identify her captors.
The story alternates between Amelie’s recent past and her present time in captivity.
As a teenager, Amelie moved to London on her own after both of her parents passed away. Not long after her move, she met Carolyn Blakely, who took her under her wing, giving her a housekeeping job and a place to live.
Now, a few years later, Amelie is the wife of the wealthy Ned Hawthorpe.
The first half of this book was super compelling, but the rest went on longer than it probably needed to. It felt like some parts were spoon-fed to the reader.
Much of the story was OTT, but I was still eagerly flipping the pages, keen to see how everything tied together.
I liked Amelie’s initiative to try to gain some control of the situation when she was in captivity.
This book was my first time reading B. A. Paris, and I will definitely check out more of her books in the future.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
August 14, 2022
Amelie has been a survivor from day one. After losing her parents, she has made a life for herself in London with help from Carolyn Blakely a kind woman who took her in. Shortly after marrying billionaire, Jed Hawthorne, she is kidnapped and held in a dark room. Who has kidnapped her and why does she feel safter there in that dark room than with her husband? Pretty bad when you feel better being held captive.
I enjoyed the short chapters that helped move the book along at a nice pace. The two timelines were also enjoyable and kept me invested. The book started strong and instantly grabbed my attention and had me wanting to know more. It was obvious from the beginning, that her husband was not the nicest of fellows, and I wanted to know more of his motivation and why both were taken.
I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book. I was nice to go back, and forth which was nice as my audiobook was slightly over 4 hours, I notice other reviewers of the audiobook are mentioning the glitch in shortened time with the audiobook. Thankfully I had both. When I started listening, I thought, wow this is a short book, only 4 hours listening time, but having both copies, I was able to read/listen to the entirety of the book. I did enjoy the narrator.
While I enjoyed the book, I didn't quite love it. I found it to be entertaining and was invested in it all the way to the end. Amelie was a character to root for which I did. Like other reviewers, I found the ending to be what dragged my rating down. The ending lost a little of what made me enjoy the book in the beginning. The book was a solid 4 for me going into the ending.
Although this was not my favorite by B.A. Paris, I will happily read more of her books in the future.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
I enjoyed the short chapters that helped move the book along at a nice pace. The two timelines were also enjoyable and kept me invested. The book started strong and instantly grabbed my attention and had me wanting to know more. It was obvious from the beginning, that her husband was not the nicest of fellows, and I wanted to know more of his motivation and why both were taken.
I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book. I was nice to go back, and forth which was nice as my audiobook was slightly over 4 hours, I notice other reviewers of the audiobook are mentioning the glitch in shortened time with the audiobook. Thankfully I had both. When I started listening, I thought, wow this is a short book, only 4 hours listening time, but having both copies, I was able to read/listen to the entirety of the book. I did enjoy the narrator.
While I enjoyed the book, I didn't quite love it. I found it to be entertaining and was invested in it all the way to the end. Amelie was a character to root for which I did. Like other reviewers, I found the ending to be what dragged my rating down. The ending lost a little of what made me enjoy the book in the beginning. The book was a solid 4 for me going into the ending.
Although this was not my favorite by B.A. Paris, I will happily read more of her books in the future.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
November 1, 2022
Billionaires, kidnapping, murder, oh my!
With the unfortunate passing of her father, Amelie becomes a poor orphan. In search of a new life, she moves to London from Paris, where she meets a group of wealthy friends/employers who embrace her friendship and take her under their wings.
Amelie soon finds herself married to billionaire, Ned Hawthorpe. What could go wrong?
I am pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed The Prisoner so much after reading many early lackluster reviews. I’d even venture to say that it is far superior to Paris’s two previous books! However, Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, and Bring Me Back still remain my favorites.
While fans of her writing know that B.A. Paris is not one to shy away from a far fetched plot, this one is definitely over the top. While I was initially intrigued by the beginning, the first half of the book is very slow moving. It is also weighed down by a distinct lack of character development. At this point, it was at a 2-3 star rating.
However, the second half of the book won me over, as the pace increases significantly due to the shorter chapters, and the answers I needed were discovered.
While I still struggled with some inconsistencies, partially predicted the reveal, and didn’t love the open ending, a few surprises along the way helped raise my rating to a 3.5. While this is a true 3.5 star book for me, Goodreads forces me to round one way or the other, so I will give this one the benefit of the doubt since I mostly enjoyed it.
3.5/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 11/1/22
Thank you to Edelweiss and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Prisoner in exchange for an honest review.
With the unfortunate passing of her father, Amelie becomes a poor orphan. In search of a new life, she moves to London from Paris, where she meets a group of wealthy friends/employers who embrace her friendship and take her under their wings.
Amelie soon finds herself married to billionaire, Ned Hawthorpe. What could go wrong?
I am pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed The Prisoner so much after reading many early lackluster reviews. I’d even venture to say that it is far superior to Paris’s two previous books! However, Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, and Bring Me Back still remain my favorites.
While fans of her writing know that B.A. Paris is not one to shy away from a far fetched plot, this one is definitely over the top. While I was initially intrigued by the beginning, the first half of the book is very slow moving. It is also weighed down by a distinct lack of character development. At this point, it was at a 2-3 star rating.
However, the second half of the book won me over, as the pace increases significantly due to the shorter chapters, and the answers I needed were discovered.
While I still struggled with some inconsistencies, partially predicted the reveal, and didn’t love the open ending, a few surprises along the way helped raise my rating to a 3.5. While this is a true 3.5 star book for me, Goodreads forces me to round one way or the other, so I will give this one the benefit of the doubt since I mostly enjoyed it.
3.5/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 11/1/22
Thank you to Edelweiss and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Prisoner in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2023
2.5 stars
Amelie is kidnapped with her husband and kept a prisoner in a dark room with no idea why or who is behind it. The short chapters and alternating timeline kept the pace of this novel clipping along and the narrator of the audiobook was great. I also liked the spunk and bravery displayed by Amelie as the story progressed.
Sure it’s OTT and nothing here is believable, but that can be a fun element in this genre.
This was a solid 3-4 stars until the wheels fell off at the end, when the reader is subjected to a confession monologue and a very long-winded explanation of who, what, where, and why. My eyes started to glaze over until they popped open at the mention of a name and I had no idea who this person was, even though they were pivotal to the reveal. Hmm….I had both the audio & e-book copy of the book and I almost did a kindle search for the name but couldn’t muster enough interest to bother with it.
*I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Amelie is kidnapped with her husband and kept a prisoner in a dark room with no idea why or who is behind it. The short chapters and alternating timeline kept the pace of this novel clipping along and the narrator of the audiobook was great. I also liked the spunk and bravery displayed by Amelie as the story progressed.
Sure it’s OTT and nothing here is believable, but that can be a fun element in this genre.
This was a solid 3-4 stars until the wheels fell off at the end, when the reader is subjected to a confession monologue and a very long-winded explanation of who, what, where, and why. My eyes started to glaze over until they popped open at the mention of a name and I had no idea who this person was, even though they were pivotal to the reveal. Hmm….I had both the audio & e-book copy of the book and I almost did a kindle search for the name but couldn’t muster enough interest to bother with it.
*I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 16, 2022
What's behind your eyes can be your worst prison.
B.A. Paris has always been a favorite. I'm a card-carrying fan from the beginning. But The Prisoner just didn't rise to the occasion for me. Let me explain:
Amelie Lamont is a young soul wrapped in responsibilities. She's been burdened with the care of her alcoholic father who is dying of cancer. Her mother passed away when Amelie was a child. After her father's death, Amelie leaves Paris and heads for London. At sixteen, she doesn't have many options. It is her hope to earn enough money to continue her education.
Hope comes in the form of Carolyn Blakely who finds Amelie in her now homeless stage. Carolyn invites Amelie to be her housekeeper after Carolyn's husband left her. Coincidences will line this novel like wallpaper. Amelie will soon become friends with Carolyn's friends who are all in their 30's and work at the exclusive magazine, Exclusives.
Amelie will meet the magazine's owner, Ned Hawthorpe, who will offer her a job there. Ned will eventually offer Amelie a marriage proposal that Amelie can't turn down. You get the picture.
But then, both Ned and Amelie are kidnapped and held in separate dark rooms with only a mattress on the floor. The kidnappers' plan is for Ned's billionaire father, Jethro, to pay a high stakes ransom. Hours and hours and days and days pass by without a ransom. Paris will give us a rundown on every splinter and every dust bunny creeping in Amelie's room.
Finally, Amelie is released, but she is forced into secrecy of what happened. When dead bodies start turning up in the peripheral, Amelie still doesn't have a profound sense of danger. Our gal is determined to kick some butt. And so it goes.
But what really did The Prisoner in for me was the concluding chapters in which we have a long and tedious explanation and a bundle of clarifications of what went down and why. Every incident was re-visited and retold. Too much of being too much.
Let me just say that you may have a completely different take on this one. The Prisoner stands with some very high Stars in the ratings. So I encourage you to take it out for a spin. It may handle the road far better than it did for me.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to B.A. Paris for the opportunity.
B.A. Paris has always been a favorite. I'm a card-carrying fan from the beginning. But The Prisoner just didn't rise to the occasion for me. Let me explain:
Amelie Lamont is a young soul wrapped in responsibilities. She's been burdened with the care of her alcoholic father who is dying of cancer. Her mother passed away when Amelie was a child. After her father's death, Amelie leaves Paris and heads for London. At sixteen, she doesn't have many options. It is her hope to earn enough money to continue her education.
Hope comes in the form of Carolyn Blakely who finds Amelie in her now homeless stage. Carolyn invites Amelie to be her housekeeper after Carolyn's husband left her. Coincidences will line this novel like wallpaper. Amelie will soon become friends with Carolyn's friends who are all in their 30's and work at the exclusive magazine, Exclusives.
Amelie will meet the magazine's owner, Ned Hawthorpe, who will offer her a job there. Ned will eventually offer Amelie a marriage proposal that Amelie can't turn down. You get the picture.
But then, both Ned and Amelie are kidnapped and held in separate dark rooms with only a mattress on the floor. The kidnappers' plan is for Ned's billionaire father, Jethro, to pay a high stakes ransom. Hours and hours and days and days pass by without a ransom. Paris will give us a rundown on every splinter and every dust bunny creeping in Amelie's room.
Finally, Amelie is released, but she is forced into secrecy of what happened. When dead bodies start turning up in the peripheral, Amelie still doesn't have a profound sense of danger. Our gal is determined to kick some butt. And so it goes.
But what really did The Prisoner in for me was the concluding chapters in which we have a long and tedious explanation and a bundle of clarifications of what went down and why. Every incident was re-visited and retold. Too much of being too much.
Let me just say that you may have a completely different take on this one. The Prisoner stands with some very high Stars in the ratings. So I encourage you to take it out for a spin. It may handle the road far better than it did for me.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to B.A. Paris for the opportunity.
September 13, 2023
Amelie was orphaned as a child so had leaned to be a survivor, so when this story begins with her kidnapped, and locked in a room without any light with just a mattress and blanket, she still feels she has many options. The Prisoner in mostly alternating chapters tells the story of Amelie's life before the kidnapping and the forced imprisonment itself, both from Amelie's point of view.
For want of another adjective I would call this a professional piece of work, a many multi-layered mystery-thriller that really caught my attention, that was genuinely interesting and had me thinking throughout, even though it does stretch credibility in places. . Another very fine read from the 2023 Richard & Judy Book Club. An easy 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2023 read
For want of another adjective I would call this a professional piece of work, a many multi-layered mystery-thriller that really caught my attention, that was genuinely interesting and had me thinking throughout, even though it does stretch credibility in places. . Another very fine read from the 2023 Richard & Judy Book Club. An easy 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2023 read
July 24, 2022
Suspenseful, Wild, and Crazy, with a Dreadful Ending.
Yep, that about sums it up.
This was so good at first! I was all in! With short chapters, alternating between the past and the present, I was hooked. Amelie's story was intriguing and I couldn't help but gasp a few times at what was happening.
As I got further in, however, the story started to get a little outlandish, and disbelief set in. You all know I'm not good at suspending disbelief, lol, and well, that was that. Then when I got to the end. Waah waah.
I will say, however, that all in all, this was one of B.A. Paris' stronger novels, (my favorite still being her first, Behind Closed Doors).
Another buddy read with Ms. Kaceey.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the arc via NetGalley.
Yep, that about sums it up.
This was so good at first! I was all in! With short chapters, alternating between the past and the present, I was hooked. Amelie's story was intriguing and I couldn't help but gasp a few times at what was happening.
As I got further in, however, the story started to get a little outlandish, and disbelief set in. You all know I'm not good at suspending disbelief, lol, and well, that was that. Then when I got to the end. Waah waah.
I will say, however, that all in all, this was one of B.A. Paris' stronger novels, (my favorite still being her first, Behind Closed Doors).
Another buddy read with Ms. Kaceey.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the arc via NetGalley.
July 20, 2022
It’s always been hit or miss with B.A. Paris’s books. This one for me was a hit. I loved it and the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. The ending I was like eh but this was an exciting, tense, read. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat as I stayed up late to finish it.
After her father’s death, Amelie tries to start over in France. There she makes a few friends who get her set up including the handsome and wealthy Ned Hawthorne. After a shotgun wedding, broken promise, a murder or two and a car ride later, Amelie wakes up in total darkness. Her world begins to crumble around her as she realizes that she has been kidnapped. Who has done this to her and why?
The Prisoner is available November 1, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
After her father’s death, Amelie tries to start over in France. There she makes a few friends who get her set up including the handsome and wealthy Ned Hawthorne. After a shotgun wedding, broken promise, a murder or two and a car ride later, Amelie wakes up in total darkness. Her world begins to crumble around her as she realizes that she has been kidnapped. Who has done this to her and why?
The Prisoner is available November 1, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 26, 2022
A woman is imprisoned in a pitch-black room, clueless as to where she is and how she got there.
Why has this woman been imprisoned and who are her captors?
Readers quickly learn that the woman's husband is also a prisoner, and both have been abducted for a large ransom that has not yet been paid.
Interspersed with the "then and now", readers learn the backstory of the husband and wife protagonists.
Although the first half of the book was stronger than the book's second half, overall, the book was too S-L-O-W burn for my fastidious palate.
The ending, too, lacked substance and the element of suspense and intrigue that I was seeking.
I listened to the audiobook and narrator Georgia Maguire did a superb job with the narration.
BA Paris is a talented author who is highly skilled in masterfully orchestrating compelling psychological thrillers.
Perhaps my expectations were set too high for this title, and I look forward to listening to this author's future releases.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Why has this woman been imprisoned and who are her captors?
Readers quickly learn that the woman's husband is also a prisoner, and both have been abducted for a large ransom that has not yet been paid.
Interspersed with the "then and now", readers learn the backstory of the husband and wife protagonists.
Although the first half of the book was stronger than the book's second half, overall, the book was too S-L-O-W burn for my fastidious palate.
The ending, too, lacked substance and the element of suspense and intrigue that I was seeking.
I listened to the audiobook and narrator Georgia Maguire did a superb job with the narration.
BA Paris is a talented author who is highly skilled in masterfully orchestrating compelling psychological thrillers.
Perhaps my expectations were set too high for this title, and I look forward to listening to this author's future releases.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2024
Sadly, only 2 stars for this one. I really wanted to love it but the storyline was just lacking for me. It hooked me in at first but then it went downhill pretty fast after. I found the book to be hard to follow and wasn’t able to stay super engaged. It was okay overall, but not as great as I had hoped.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and Net Galley for a gifted copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and Net Galley for a gifted copy in return for my honest review.
December 23, 2022
Amelie is a young woman who grew up in Paris and is now living in London, intent on turning her life into a success. All is going well until she wakes up and finds herself locked in a dark room with mysterious captors who bring her food every now and then. She has no idea why she’s here or what will happen to her, but is determined to survive at all costs.
This is another book where me being an outlier is a positive thing. I really enjoyed this one for the most part. I thought it was fast-paced, suspenseful, and mysterious enough to have me flipping the pages to find out what would happen.
The last 20% or so is where this one falls off the rails and heads into OTT territory and eye-rolling fiascos. Still, I was pleasantly surprised for the majority after being let down by the author’s last book.
A fast read that kept me hooked, and that was enough in this case.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now available.
This is another book where me being an outlier is a positive thing. I really enjoyed this one for the most part. I thought it was fast-paced, suspenseful, and mysterious enough to have me flipping the pages to find out what would happen.
The last 20% or so is where this one falls off the rails and heads into OTT territory and eye-rolling fiascos. Still, I was pleasantly surprised for the majority after being let down by the author’s last book.
A fast read that kept me hooked, and that was enough in this case.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now available.
July 17, 2022
2.5 Stars
The opening chapters started off at a really fast engaging pace. Amelie is kidnapped and held captive in a completely isolated dark room. I found these scenes to be done really well and I could imagine her terror in trying to acclimate herself without being able to see a thing. The first part of the book focuses on her current situation and then flips back to her past and gives us a feel for how she came to be in the predicament she is in. This felt a bit long in the sense it was over half the book, but it read really fast. The second half I wasn't too fond of, some aspects of it I thought were done really well but by the end I felt it was just more "telling" the reader what happened as opposed to having the reader fully engaged to try and figure it out, if that makes sense.
What really draws me in to a book is character development, which I think this book lacked in. Amelie's friends just all kind of blurred together and nothing stood out for them except for one was from France, one from Lithuania etc. Same with Amelie and Ned - just seemed very shallow in terms of development. Amelie in the past chapters came across really childlike - I know she was almost 20 but it read like she was way younger and it just king of bothered me. Finally, I liked the idea of the relationship between Ned and Amelie and think it was interesting but it seemed like it came out of left field too much, no warning whatsoever. I think if there had been more detail or backstory to that it would have felt a bit more realistic(as much as makes sense)
Overall this was certainly a quick, mindless read that kept me engaged but feel it was missing that depth to make me care about the final outcome.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
The opening chapters started off at a really fast engaging pace. Amelie is kidnapped and held captive in a completely isolated dark room. I found these scenes to be done really well and I could imagine her terror in trying to acclimate herself without being able to see a thing. The first part of the book focuses on her current situation and then flips back to her past and gives us a feel for how she came to be in the predicament she is in. This felt a bit long in the sense it was over half the book, but it read really fast. The second half I wasn't too fond of, some aspects of it I thought were done really well but by the end I felt it was just more "telling" the reader what happened as opposed to having the reader fully engaged to try and figure it out, if that makes sense.
What really draws me in to a book is character development, which I think this book lacked in. Amelie's friends just all kind of blurred together and nothing stood out for them except for one was from France, one from Lithuania etc. Same with Amelie and Ned - just seemed very shallow in terms of development. Amelie in the past chapters came across really childlike - I know she was almost 20 but it read like she was way younger and it just king of bothered me. Finally, I liked the idea of the relationship between Ned and Amelie and think it was interesting but it seemed like it came out of left field too much, no warning whatsoever. I think if there had been more detail or backstory to that it would have felt a bit more realistic(as much as makes sense)
Overall this was certainly a quick, mindless read that kept me engaged but feel it was missing that depth to make me care about the final outcome.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
July 2, 2022
I cannot believe that BA Paris wrote this...
The short chapters made it a quick read but unfortunately I cannot think of one positive thing to say.
Small cast of poorly written characters:
There's zero character development so I never once felt emotionally attached to anyone and couldn't care less what happened to all of them. The protagonist is Poor You, the antagonist is So Evil, everyone else is unmemorable and exist just to be plot devices.
Messy and badly crafted plot:
The author tried (too hard) to be twisty but it just ends up all over the place and becomes one big, awful mess. The story is super unbelievable with gaping big holes, yet the reader is supposed to just accept them. It's also very predictable and easy to guess who the captor is early on. Suspense is minimal and the twists are lacking.
Pay-off was not worth it:
The book introduces themes that it doesn't handle well and the ending felt abrupt. Overall, it's a very flat read and the emotional depth is non-existent.
This is my 6th BA Paris novel and also my least favourite. Yes, it ranks below the much-panned The Dilemma. I don't think The Prisoner is slow, boring or badly written at all. I actually started out liking it so imagine my own horror when I realised it would be a 1-star read for me. 1 stars and BA Paris just don't exist in the same world... until now.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
The short chapters made it a quick read but unfortunately I cannot think of one positive thing to say.
Small cast of poorly written characters:
There's zero character development so I never once felt emotionally attached to anyone and couldn't care less what happened to all of them. The protagonist is Poor You, the antagonist is So Evil, everyone else is unmemorable and exist just to be plot devices.
Messy and badly crafted plot:
The author tried (too hard) to be twisty but it just ends up all over the place and becomes one big, awful mess. The story is super unbelievable with gaping big holes, yet the reader is supposed to just accept them. It's also very predictable and easy to guess who the captor is early on. Suspense is minimal and the twists are lacking.
Pay-off was not worth it:
The book introduces themes that it doesn't handle well and the ending felt abrupt. Overall, it's a very flat read and the emotional depth is non-existent.
This is my 6th BA Paris novel and also my least favourite. Yes, it ranks below the much-panned The Dilemma. I don't think The Prisoner is slow, boring or badly written at all. I actually started out liking it so imagine my own horror when I realised it would be a 1-star read for me. 1 stars and BA Paris just don't exist in the same world... until now.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
October 19, 2024
4 The opening of this book was intense!!! It started off the best way and the dual POV made a lot of sense too, I was intruiged whether they were being told from the same person or not. Not sure how I feel about the twists though, they felt a little rushed even though there was loaaads of explaining, and oh my goshhhh there was a lot of unaliving in this…
Read
December 6, 2022DNF @ 35%. No connection to MC. Too many unrealistic aspects in past timeline.
February 20, 2023
This reads like a very mediocre Hallmark movie
January 13, 2023
Amelie Lamont finds herself an orphan at the age of sixteen. Not wanting to be placed in care, she takes off for London. But life in the capital isn’t as easy as she’d hoped and she finds herself homeless and without a job. When she meets Carolyn Blakely, however, her luck seems to have reversed. Offered a job and a place to stay, Amelie quickly builds a new “family” with Carolyn and friends.
Several years later, perhaps a tad naïvely, Amelie accepts a proposal by the obscenely wealthy and attractive Ned Hawthorpe and they quickly elope in Las Vegas. But is he who she thinks he is? Or has she just made a deal with the devil?
Then one night, she is awoken in the middle of the night by a hand slapping duct tape across her face. Forced into a car and driven to an isolated location where she’s locked in a pitch-black room, she realizes she’s been kidnapped. But why? And by whom? And why does she suddenly feel safer than she did with her husband, Ned?
Starting off with a terror-inducing bang, The Prisoner had serious potential. As I had feared, however, it is hard to craft a strong plot around a woman being held captive alone in a dark room with no one with which to really interact. As the plot alternated between the past and the present, the tension that the story started with began to wane with the repetitive nature of Amelie’s claustrophobic world. In contrast, the past timelines lacked the suspense that could build to an exceptional climax. Further on in the book (can’t say much or it will spoil any surprises), the storyline, although original and intriguing, felt somewhat contrived, overdone, and over-the-top. I’ve read quite a few of B.A. Paris’s books and, in the past, have always equated them with a slow burn building to a fantastic, unseen twist. Unfortunately, this one was left wanting in my eyes.
As for some positives, Paris did an excellent job of describing what it must be like to be kept in the dark, held captive with no sense of time or place. Additionally, I thought the character development for Amelie was thorough and deep, creating an individual you can relate to despite never having been in her position. The chapters are short and quick and the storyline is easy to follow. I read this in one day and found that, while not gripping, it definitely held my interest.
Overall, while it certainly isn’t the best I’ve read by this author, it was an entertaining read. From looking at reviews, they seem to be mixed and I was left relatively ambivalent. So I suggest reading this one for yourself if it sounds intriguing as I did like The Prisoner, I just didn’t love it. Rating of 3.5 stars.
Trigger warning: controlling and abusive relationship, death of a parent, cancer
Several years later, perhaps a tad naïvely, Amelie accepts a proposal by the obscenely wealthy and attractive Ned Hawthorpe and they quickly elope in Las Vegas. But is he who she thinks he is? Or has she just made a deal with the devil?
Then one night, she is awoken in the middle of the night by a hand slapping duct tape across her face. Forced into a car and driven to an isolated location where she’s locked in a pitch-black room, she realizes she’s been kidnapped. But why? And by whom? And why does she suddenly feel safer than she did with her husband, Ned?
Starting off with a terror-inducing bang, The Prisoner had serious potential. As I had feared, however, it is hard to craft a strong plot around a woman being held captive alone in a dark room with no one with which to really interact. As the plot alternated between the past and the present, the tension that the story started with began to wane with the repetitive nature of Amelie’s claustrophobic world. In contrast, the past timelines lacked the suspense that could build to an exceptional climax. Further on in the book (can’t say much or it will spoil any surprises), the storyline, although original and intriguing, felt somewhat contrived, overdone, and over-the-top. I’ve read quite a few of B.A. Paris’s books and, in the past, have always equated them with a slow burn building to a fantastic, unseen twist. Unfortunately, this one was left wanting in my eyes.
As for some positives, Paris did an excellent job of describing what it must be like to be kept in the dark, held captive with no sense of time or place. Additionally, I thought the character development for Amelie was thorough and deep, creating an individual you can relate to despite never having been in her position. The chapters are short and quick and the storyline is easy to follow. I read this in one day and found that, while not gripping, it definitely held my interest.
Overall, while it certainly isn’t the best I’ve read by this author, it was an entertaining read. From looking at reviews, they seem to be mixed and I was left relatively ambivalent. So I suggest reading this one for yourself if it sounds intriguing as I did like The Prisoner, I just didn’t love it. Rating of 3.5 stars.
Trigger warning: controlling and abusive relationship, death of a parent, cancer
July 2, 2022
I was so excited to read this newest release by B.A. Paris! I’ve loved all her previous novels, and The Prisoner was a fast paced, page turner just like the rest of them!
There are two parts to this book. There is Part One- The Kidnap, which goes back and forth between past and present. Then there is Part Two- The Reckoning, which basically tells us what happens after Part One (which is the kidnapping). Both parts of the book also revolve around our central character of Amelie. I liked Amelie’s character very much and I felt deeply for her and I was rooting for her from the get go. We also learn a lot about that of Ned Hawthorpe’s character. Ughhh! He was despicable.
What I didn’t care for was Part Two of this book. After Part One being so suspenseful and keeping me on the edge of my seat, I felt a bit let down by this “reckoning”, and conclusion. What started out as what could have been a five star rating for this book, I dropped it down for the dragging on of Part Two.
Regardless, I still recommend reading this book as B.A. Paris is one of my favorite go-to authors. I also love the title and cover for this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. Publication Date: Nov 01, 2022
There are two parts to this book. There is Part One- The Kidnap, which goes back and forth between past and present. Then there is Part Two- The Reckoning, which basically tells us what happens after Part One (which is the kidnapping). Both parts of the book also revolve around our central character of Amelie. I liked Amelie’s character very much and I felt deeply for her and I was rooting for her from the get go. We also learn a lot about that of Ned Hawthorpe’s character. Ughhh! He was despicable.
What I didn’t care for was Part Two of this book. After Part One being so suspenseful and keeping me on the edge of my seat, I felt a bit let down by this “reckoning”, and conclusion. What started out as what could have been a five star rating for this book, I dropped it down for the dragging on of Part Two.
Regardless, I still recommend reading this book as B.A. Paris is one of my favorite go-to authors. I also love the title and cover for this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. Publication Date: Nov 01, 2022
August 18, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 1, 2022
After the death of her parents, Amelie finds herself living on the streets. To her astonishment, she is taken in as a housekeeper to a woman named Carolyn, and Amelie is enjoying a life she has never experienced or thought she deserved. So when billionaire Ned Hawthorne puts a proposition forward- Amelie marries him so he can avoid an arranged marriage to someone else, and she can get all the money she needs for law school- Amelie jumps at the oppourtunity, hoping to extend her good luck. But when she and Ned are captured and held for ransom, Amelie begins to have doubts about what kind of person her new husband is, and what he’s really capable of.
From the author of “The Therapist”, “Behind Closed Doors”, and others, B.A. Paris returns with “The Prisoner”. B.A. Paris has quickly become one of my favourite psychological suspense writers, and I was thrilled to get the oppourtunity to review her new work. As I expected, she did not disappoint!
The first part of the story is told by Amelie, and takes place in two time periods; the years and days leading up to her abduction, and the abduction period itself. Each section is clearly marked, and the story flowed well. The second part occurs after the abduction, and the plot follows Amelie in her quest for revenge. With short chapters and a gripping plot, “The Prisoner” captured my attention from the first page!
Amelie begins the novel as a naïve young woman, just looking for a way to escape her life, and when the oppourtunity presents itself, she can’t be blamed for jumping at the chance. Even when it appears too good to be true. Ned is quite obviously a despicable creature, right from the start, but it isn’t until the story begins to unfold that we see his true devious nature.
Of course, Paris does not hold back on the twists and turns, and “The Prisoner” had plenty of unexpected surprises! The ending itself was somehow both satisfying and disturbing, but it also holds some realism, which only added to the overall plot.
Paris has written a novel that I found to be completely page-turning, and the plot will carry you away if you let it! I’m a huge fan of this author and cannot wait for her next work!
Expected publication date: November 1, 2022
After the death of her parents, Amelie finds herself living on the streets. To her astonishment, she is taken in as a housekeeper to a woman named Carolyn, and Amelie is enjoying a life she has never experienced or thought she deserved. So when billionaire Ned Hawthorne puts a proposition forward- Amelie marries him so he can avoid an arranged marriage to someone else, and she can get all the money she needs for law school- Amelie jumps at the oppourtunity, hoping to extend her good luck. But when she and Ned are captured and held for ransom, Amelie begins to have doubts about what kind of person her new husband is, and what he’s really capable of.
From the author of “The Therapist”, “Behind Closed Doors”, and others, B.A. Paris returns with “The Prisoner”. B.A. Paris has quickly become one of my favourite psychological suspense writers, and I was thrilled to get the oppourtunity to review her new work. As I expected, she did not disappoint!
The first part of the story is told by Amelie, and takes place in two time periods; the years and days leading up to her abduction, and the abduction period itself. Each section is clearly marked, and the story flowed well. The second part occurs after the abduction, and the plot follows Amelie in her quest for revenge. With short chapters and a gripping plot, “The Prisoner” captured my attention from the first page!
Amelie begins the novel as a naïve young woman, just looking for a way to escape her life, and when the oppourtunity presents itself, she can’t be blamed for jumping at the chance. Even when it appears too good to be true. Ned is quite obviously a despicable creature, right from the start, but it isn’t until the story begins to unfold that we see his true devious nature.
Of course, Paris does not hold back on the twists and turns, and “The Prisoner” had plenty of unexpected surprises! The ending itself was somehow both satisfying and disturbing, but it also holds some realism, which only added to the overall plot.
Paris has written a novel that I found to be completely page-turning, and the plot will carry you away if you let it! I’m a huge fan of this author and cannot wait for her next work!
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