The Breakdown
By B.A. Paris
St. Martin’s Press, 9781250122469, July 2017, 336pp.
The Short of It:
Another unputdownable read by B.A. Paris.
The Rest of It:
I’ve spent this summer reading page-turners and I have to say, it’s be a really pleasant summer for these types of reads. In The Breakdown, we meet Matthew and Cass. Newly married, they live in a large home in rural part of town. A home that backs to the woods and a road that Matthew has warned Cass not to take late at night. After an evening out with friends and the horrible storm-related traffic on the highway, Cass goes against her better judgement and takes the shortcut home. What she didn’t expect to see was a woman pulled over to the side of the road. She makes a snap decision to NOT stop to see if she needs assistance and to her horror, the woman turns up dead the next morning.
This is a fun book to read. I’ll admit, Cass has some issues and they get a little repetitive in the telling. For one, she has signs of early onset dementia, which her mother had so everything she does and knows cannot be relied upon because of her failing memory. Plus, she’s jumpy from the fact that a murderer is on the loose so there are a lot of false alarms but man, I couldn’t stop turning those pages.
I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors so when I heard that Paris had another book out, I jumped at the chance to read it and I am glad I did. It was fun and suspenseful even though I kind of figured out what was going on. If you like quick, psychological thrillers and don’t mind an unreliable narrator (I love them!) then be sure to pick it up.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
I enjoyed this one too. So many good thrillers out this year!
So many thrillers, is right. I am reading my corrupted copy of A Stranger in the House and at 30% in, it is very much like The Breakdown. I didn’t expect to read another book like that so soon after.
I liked this too even though I didn’t think it was as good as Behind Closed Doors.
Kathy,
I took off one star because the protag kind of got on my nerves. Behind Closed Doors was a pleasant surprise. I thought I had it all figured out but it wasn’t obvious. Such tension!
I do want to read this one. I thought Behind Closed Doors was GREAT.
I was pleasantly surprised by Behind Closed Doors. I can tell you that this one has the same page-turning qualities as her first book. At this point, I’d probably read anything by this author.
This kind of book can be really exciting to read!
Yes. It was pretty exciting to pick up. I read it on my Kindle and was flipping pretty fast.
I ended up skipping this one because I already have way too many July/August/September books to review. I am sure I will get around to reading a copy eventually because I really did enjoy Behind Closed Doors. I’m glad to hear her second novel lives up to the first one!
You will enjoy this one. Very similar in feel to her first book but this protag will drive you a little batty. I don’t deal well with weak women.
I don’t deal well with weak women either. In fact, they can be a breaking point for me. Maybe I’ll read a chapter or two before I decide.
If you read two chapters you will read all of it 😉
Maybe this is the type of book I need to read right now. I haven’t read anything for 5 days and I think I need something quick and gripping to get me going.
Oh yes. This is a “Read me now” book. It’s fun, super fast to get through.
I’ve never read a B.A. Paris book and I think I need to change that.
I think you would enjoy them!
I’m in the mood for quick books like this right now. I haven’t tried this author yet, but I’ve heard good things about the books. One of these days. 🙂
I’m probably going to listen to this one on audio.