The Therapy Room by Sam Baron
Publication Date- February 23rd
Publisher- Storm Publishing
Overall Rating- 1 out of 5 stars

A special thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

What Worked: Okay, some things that worked. Even though I am a therapist myself, and have a hard time with books misrepresenting therapy, I felt that this premise was a good idea. The setup for a thriller was there. I think the author has potential after some of the things below are addressed. It's a quick read and bingeable. There is a diverse cast of characters though I think there should be more research and consideration on the diversity front.

What didn’t work: I actually DNF’d this book at 70 percent in. At 58 percent there is this quote, “Ever notice that if you leave just two spaces in the word ‘psychotherapist’, you get ‘ psycho the rapist.” No, just no. If there is time I would suggest reconsidering leaving this in before it makes it fully out on release day. I will own that I hold the identity of a therapist and that is blinding my view of this quote but as a whole I just find it really offensive and not necessary.

The plot is good, I really liked the concept of the book. However, there are a lot of inconsistencies that are easy to pick up on. I know when I read a thriller there will be inconsistencies, I really struggled to get past them in The Therapy Room. Something that could have made this book more enjoyable would be for the transcripts and old files to have been thrown in either as mixed media or just for the readers to read. I did DNF the book so maybe they come later but if that’s the case, past 70 percent is too far.

As for the writing, there is a lot of telling and no showing. The reader is told what is happening and how to feel about it and the why behind everything. I personally don’t enjoy this. At times, it felt like there was “magic information,” that characters had that didn’t make sense how anyone got that information or came to that conclusion.

The #1 suspect in a serial killer case is a famous psychiatrist. Susan Parker was the FBI agent in charge of the investigation. She's convinced the therapist is guilty of targeting people in therapy. However, her whole world is rocked when the suspect doctor is found brutally murdered. Where does the investigation go from there? That is the heart of the story in this delightful thriller. The Therapy Room is full of twists and turns. Parker is an interesting character but I liked some of the supporting cast better. It's a engaging read and Baron does a good job of setting the stage for a satisfying conclusion. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #TheTherapyRoom #NetGalley.

3.5 stars

Certainly an interesting premise. A note left at a murder scene directs to investigating detective to contact FBI agent Susan Parker, who is on leave after the death of her husband. At the crime scene are 12 cells in the basement, holding 11 therapy patients captive. None will speak. The investigation struggles to find links between the patients, and Susan Parker believes the murder victim is not the ultimate criminal. A solid police procedural, with plenty of surprises and twists. FBI agent Parker is an excellent lead character, struggling with the death of her husband and raising her daughter, whilst she pursues a serial killer known as “Splinter”.

I am sure we'll learn more Parker's back story in future novels.

Love a good suspenseful book! I always thought I could guess what was going to happen next, but man was I wrong! There were so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I will definitely be reading book 2!

I flew threw this book! I loved the fast pace and that the book kept me guessing. I did figure out the "Splinter" theory towards the middle when Gorgarian kept saying to stop the therapist to stop the splinter. I will read book 2 for sure.

Sam Baron
The Therapy Room : A totally unputdownable crime thriller (FBI Agent Susan Parker Book 1)
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date 23 Feb 2024 | Archive Date 25 Feb 2024
Storm Publishing
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | True Crime
#TheTherapyRoom #NetGalley Description :
It’s a typical farm kitchen. A large table fills the space, and in one of the chairs is the lifeless body of Doctor Magnusson. Under his feet and the dusty wooden floorboards lie the basement – and twelve therapy rooms. Behind each locked door, the victims are about to be rescued…When a world-renowned psychiatrist is found dead in an abandoned ranch house in the Californian Santa Carina Valley, a post-it note with the words ‘Susan Parker’ and her cell phone number is taped to the basement door. Still grieving her husband’s devastating suicide less than a year ago, FBI agent Susan Parker is taking a break from work and trying to rebuild her life as a single mom to her seven-year-old daughter Natalie. When she’s called to the crime scene of Doctor Magnusson, a chill runs down her spine. For years, Susan had been trying to hunt down the doctor, convinced he was the serial killer known as ‘Splinter.’ Someone is playing a cruel game with her, and they’ve only just begun.
Desperate to speak to the twelve victims rescued from the locked therapy rooms, Susan finds herself faced with a wall of silence. Why won’t they talk?
Battling her demons while confronting the toughest case she’s ever had to solve. Susan discovers a chilling truth about the true nature of ‘Splinter’ – a killer preying on those seeking therapy.
But that’s not all she finds…
She’s about to uncover a shocking secret behind her husband’s death – one that links him to the Splinter case. With her family’s safety hanging in the balance and her career on the line, can Susan protect her precious daughter and prevent a new killing spree before it’s too late?
💥My Review 💥
The Therapy Room" takes readers on a gripping journey into the twisted mind of a serial killer, intertwined with the personal struggles of FBI agent Susan Parker. When I read the description of this book I had to read it. I LOVE a good serial killer story. I found this story extremely addictive. The end of every chapter leaves you wanting more. As the story progresses you get to know Susan very well.
This fast-paced thriller kept me hooked the whole way through . For me this book was a all nighter. Sam Baron
takes you on a intense ride that pretty much doesn’t stop until the end of the book. The only thing I did not like about this story was the ending. I’m not a huge fan of the cliffhanger at the end. It left me screaming and very irritated.
******Disclosure*******
I received a free E -ARC copy of The Therapy Room
from netgalley prior to release. Many thanks to NetGalley , the publisher and the author for the chance to read and review a copy of this interesting book in exchange for my honest review. I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions I have expressed are my own. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !

When I read the description of this book, I was so excited to be reading it. I LOVE a good serial killer with an interesting M.O. While the premise of the book was great, the execution was poor. I think if this plot had been used by another author, it would have been a 5 star read for me.

I found myself to find any interest or attachment to Susan - she felt like she was written by a man who had never seen a mother take care of her child. I know Susan is supposed to be a tough FBI agent, but no one calls their child "kid" in what feels like every other sentence. The writing was hard to get into all around and could use more editing. There were dozens of grammar mistakes, scenes that didn't make sense (the deaf-since-birth child signing to have a conversation with Susan while Susan's eyes were closed and her daughter going to school ON THANKSGIVING), times where I felt like I had to do mental gymnastics to understand what the characters were talking about, constant discussions about race that are unrealistic when race does not contribute to the plot/character development, trying to use "hip" language in the wrong/unrealistic context and the overuse of saying "slash".

In summary, I would not recommend this book but I do hope the author's writing improves for future books because it feels like they have some really good ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced copy to review.

Unfortunately, The Therapy Room was a dnf for me. I don’t like not finishing a book, but I tried to come back to this one multiple times and wasn’t able to enjoy it. I read to around 25% and really just wasn’t getting in to the story. I found Susan, and some of the other characters, to feel a bit unbelievable, and while I understand she was portrayed as a grieving wife, many of her decisions just didn’t seem realistic or make sense to me. I also found as I was reading that I was growing less interested in uncovering who Splinter was or what the killer’s connection to Susan’s husband was. The story just felt like it wasn’t moving fast enough, but it may have been because I found Susan’s character to be on the dull side.

All in all, this book may be a great choice for someone who enjoys murder mysteries and is looking for a quick, psychological thriller read, that continues on into a series.

The Therapy Room was suspenseful from beginning to end, another must read of the year. Great characters and a great storyline.

This book had lots of twists and turns that kept me gripped until the very end, definitely recommended.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2-Format: ebook, Genre: psychological thriller

A fun, quick read! FBI agent Sarah Parker is working hard to rebuild her life and restart her career after the death of her husband. She is sure she knows who is responsible for his death and when the opportunity presents for her to pursue her suspicions in another case, she takes it. Her team work tirelessly to find the truth for their case and for Sarah’s. This camaraderie reminded me a lot of Criminal Minds TV show! I love that show, so this was a great novel for me. There are a lot of revelations at the end that left me wondering. This is the first of the Sarah Parker series by @SamKBaron. I hope the next book picks up where this left off to answer my questions! Looking forward to more!

Thank you @NetGalley and #SamKBaron for the opportunity to read to this advanced copy for an honest review!

#NetGalley #TheTherapyRoom #PsychologicalThriller #SusanParker #psychologicalsuspense #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #TheMidNOCBookClub

The Therapy Room is a suspenseful story full of twists and turns. I was on the edge of my seat almost the whole time. I struggled with the changing of timelines and trying to keep up with what was happening.

When I read I want an escape and this one just involved a little too much processing for me. Overall though this is a truly eerie and suspenseful novel that I think fans of thrillers and suspense will really enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Enjoyed. Wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend but an enjoyable suspenseful read all the same

A captivating, winding tale of a serial killer who's hunting and murdering therapists and their families. I gobbled up the first thirty or so percent of this book but then it changed. Dialogue, characters, pacing, everything and I felt like my book had been swapped with another. I never could Gey back into the story. I also disliked the cliffhanger ending.

I was captivated by the premise and dove right in. It was enjoyable although I’m not a huge fan of the cliffhanger at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my ARC of The Therapy Room. This was a true crime mystery about tracking down a serial killer hunting therapists and their families. Being the first book in a series, we follow FBI agent Susan Parker as she returns to the agency to investigate not only these crimes, but the unsolved death of her husband.

This book has a great premise and plot. When I read the description I couldn’t wait to read it! While this book has the possibility of hooking the reader and to be a page-turning thriller, I found it difficult to read for a number of reasons.

First, it was not only extremely dialogue heavy, but I found the dialogue to often be confusing and unrealistic. I appreciate the author’s attempts at integrating ASL into a character’s storyline, but found the way these interactions were described to be messy and hard to follow. Second, reading this as a therapist, I think It would be beneficial for the author/editor to do some further research on psychological theory, diagnoses, and treatment. Lastly, I’m curious as to why all of the Los Angeles cities and street names are named as they are in real life, but what is clearly “Santa Clarita” is named something different. Perhaps it is just because I live in the Los Angeles area, but I found this distracting.

Overall, I felt disappointed by this book. I found myself skimming a large majority of pages trying to get through the dialogue and find my way back to the plot. While there is potential here for a great premise, it didn’t feel based in reality- as the unrealistic dialogue and city name took me out of the story.

This is the first in Susan Parker's FBI Agent Series. The Therapy Room caught my attention from the beginning with a world-famous psychiatrist found dead in an old farm house with a dozen torture chambers in the basement. Woah! At the time of this discovery, she was on leave from her job from a situation earlier in the year when her husband had "supposedly" committed suicide. How was Susan tied to this case and what did this have to do with her late husband? And what is with this farm house?! I had to keep reading to put all the pieces together. Loved it!
Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Man what a ride…..that ending left me screaming at my kindle. You’ll have to read it yourself to see why.
Susan is a FBI agent who has undergone the loss of her husband. Coming back from medical leave to track a serial killer called Splinter. She’s in danger of losing herself to the case.

A bit like Criminal Minds in book form which might explain why I enjoyed it. Susan is a strong female character without being overly aggressive. Her team were all quirky and fun. Definitely give this one a chance.

"The Therapy Room" takes readers on a gripping journey into the twisted mind of a serial killer, intertwined with the personal struggles of FBI agent Susan Parker. This fast-paced thriller, written by an anonymous author, is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

The story centers around Susan Parker, a grieving FBI agent whose life takes an unexpected turn when the lifeless body of Doctor Magnusson, a world-renowned psychiatrist, is discovered. The evidence suggests a direct link to Susan's pursuit of the notorious serial killer known as 'Splinter.' With a post-it note bearing her name and phone number attached to the basement door, Susan realizes someone is taunting her.

As the plot unfolds, Susan grapples with the grief from her husband's recent suicide while facing the daunting task of unraveling the mystery surrounding Doctor Magnusson's death. Determined to solve the case, she finds herself entangled in a web of silence as the twelve rescued victims refuse to speak. The author skillfully builds tension and suspense as Susan digs deeper, uncovering dark secrets surrounding the true nature of 'Splinter.'

What makes "The Therapy Room" a standout thriller is its ability to seamlessly intertwine the personal and professional aspects of Susan's life. The novel explores her complex emotions as a single mother, trying to protect her daughter Natalie while simultaneously battling her own fears and demons. The stakes are raised even higher when Susan uncovers a shocking connection between her late husband and the Splinter case, leaving readers questioning who can truly be trusted.

The author's writing style is captivating, propelling the story forward with its fast pace and carefully plotted twists. Scenes are vividly described, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the eerie atmosphere of the abandoned ranch house and the sinister therapy rooms hidden beneath.

Overall, "Therapy Room" is a thrilling page-turner that keeps readers guessing until the very end. With its intricate plot, well-rounded characters, and a masterful blend of personal drama and suspense, this novel is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and crime fiction.

I saw the cover and read the description of this book and I was really intrigued and excited to give it a try. This book was a really quick read, took me a day. This book follows an FBI agent, Susan, who is trying to solve the mystery surrounding her husband's suicide. She is also trying to find a serial killer who is killing therapists and their family members. The story was a fast paced and suspenseful.

I just didn't like it. I really enjoyed about the first 20% of the book, then it almost felt like a different author took over. The characters personalities and how they spoke even changed. I work around different federal agencies, as well as different law enforcement agencies and they do not speak like this. The dialogue was disingenuous to how FBI agents would talk and act. I also did not care for the main character; she was boring honestly. I would not want to follow her around for another book.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.