The story is a winding tale that starts with the death of Amir, a law enforcement officer found in the home of a recent serial killer site. The official story is suicide, but his wife disagrees. Susan, his wife and CBI agent, can't let go. She blames Splinter, the serial killer she was following. Moving along, Susan is called to a ramshackle farm house where 12 patients are found in the "therapy house". Susan is focused on finding the person behind the kidnapped patients and Splinter. As her focus narrows she finds connections to her husband's last investigation. The story kept me guessing!

FBI agent Susan Parker has been on bereavement leave for a year after a breakdown of sorts following the suicide of her husband Amit. At the time, she was on the trail of a serial killer related to the "Splinter" case she was working on.

Now, Susan is trying to focus on parenting her 7 year old daughter Natalie and figuring out how to move on with her life. So, the last thing she is expecting at this point is to be summoned to a farmhouse where a man's body has been found with her contact details attached to his body.

Even worse, 11 traumatised people are found imprisoned in the basement, in a series of "therapy rooms". All of them refuse to talk. But what Susan is about to discover in the course of the investigation that follows is the nature of the link between her husband's death and her work on the Splinter case...

This is a fantastic concept for a book, but the execution does not quite live up to expectations. The strengths of the book include the challenges of Susan's relationship with Natalie, which show a softer side to her, and the interactions within her team. I also rather liked the diversity of her team.

However, Susan is not always an entirely likable character, and some parts of the book feel flat. In general, the story could use some skilled editorial input. Still, it will probably appeal to people who enjoy TV shows like CSI, as it felt to me that it had that kind of vibe to it.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I was very excited to start reading this book after reading the premise.

Though it wasn’t bad and I didn’t ever consider not finishing it, some things bugged me a little.

The explanations of who all the bad guys (trying not to spoil anything) were were a little confusing. I felt like there could have been a little more explanation about Susan’s husband and his backstory so we could better understand his involvement, which seemed to be important. Maybe that will be explained more in future books since this left on a cliffhanger.

I thought that Susan’s team was fun, but unrealistic in the way they all spoke to each other.

The amount of diversity of characters was great, but to me, it felt a little forced after a while. It felt like the author was constantly referring to race when it didn’t seem relevant or necessary. I didn’t see how it played a part in the plot at all and after a while, I felt like I was being preached to passively a little bit, maybe.

Sometimes it felt like the timeline was off and jumped forward pretty far and I didn’t realize it at first.

It might just have been me, but I had a hard time keeping everything straight.

It ended on a cliffhanger, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens next.

This is the first book in the new Susan Parker FBI series. The premise sounded very good. Who wouldn't like a book about an old farmhouse with torture chambers in the basement? I've never read a book by this author so I'm not sure if Susan Parker appeared in any other books. Anyway, Susan was on leave after working on a brutal case where her husband took his own life as a victim of the Solinter. After that, Susan had a breakdown and was on leave. Understandable. However, the FBI thinks the Splinter is back thus calls on Susan and her team to the old farmhouse.

The book starts out with a lot of promise. It has a very creepy atmosphere. None of the victims are talking, they just sit in their therapy rooms. However, the book becomes so inconsistent, I had to keep going back and forth to figure out what timeline we were on and what exactly was happening. It seemed things that were key to the story were skipped over and at one point it was after Thanksgiving but then we were back in the beginning of November. This got progressively worse until it really ruined the read for me. Susan's team was ok, but Susan, as the main character, was very flat and highly unlikable. This also ended as a cliffhanger which really didn't sit well with me at all. Some sort of resolution would have been nice. I'd love to try to read the next one to see if a proofreader gets it right as I really thought it could have been a good book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I do not recommend this book in its current form unless the inconsistencies are ironed out.

In this story, FBI Special Agent Susan Parker, who has been suspended from her duties, is unexpectedly called to a farm where she discovers a deceased man in the kitchen and eleven severely malnourished individuals confined in the basement. A cryptic note addressed to her, along with her contact information, adds a layer of mystery to the scene.

Working alongside her skilled team and a new addition, Officer Naved, who recently transferred from the city, Susan delves into the investigation. Her pursuit of the serial killer known as "Splinter" takes a backseat as she now seeks to uncover the identity of the elusive therapist.

Haunted by the murder of her husband, Amit, a year earlier, and her suspension due to an altercation with a therapist, Susan's personal and professional life intertwine in unexpected ways. As she delves deeper into the case, she inches closer to solving the mystery surrounding her husband's death.

While my expectations for this book included more suspense, action, intrigue, and twists, I did find it enjoyable, albeit somewhat predictable. I managed to deduce the therapist's identity early on, which diminished some of the suspense. The story concludes on a cliffhanger just as Susan is on the brink of unraveling her husband's murder, setting the stage for an anticipated sequel.

I'm inclined to give this book a rating of 3/5. While I found it enjoyable, I believe there was room for more character development, particularly for Susan's team and Naved. Nevertheless, I look forward to reading the next installment to see if my hunches about the unfolding mystery are correct.

I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to delve into this book.

Such a great book! I love how the chapters were short (I love books with short chapters makes me feel like I’m reading faster!!) i would highly recommend reading it!

I tried to like this, I really tried. And while I thought some of the ideas were pretty interesting, adding up the ideas did not make a satisfying whole for me. Susan, the main character, was reckless, unprofessional and generally unlikable. It felt like the reader was playing catch up with story, as a whole lot of events had occurred before the story even started, and they felt a little glossed over. The dialogue felt very juvenile at times, and Susan had several interactions with her FBI superiors that felt inane and unbelievably childish.

All that being said, there was tension created throughout the story, and I can clearly see the appeal for many people. Unfortunately it just didn't appeal to me that much.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

FBI Agent Susan Parker's name has been left on a note at a gruesome crime scene. But she's been on bereavement leave for almost a year, following her husband's suicide. What has compelled someone to summon her personally to the scene of this crime and what does it have to do with the last case she was investigating before her husband died?

Susan is such a great character. She has some of the greatest opening lines I've read in a while: "I could kill her now. Before her husband brings their four-year-old home from swimming lessons." I was instantly hooked. This has strong Criminal Minds/CSI/NCIS vibes. The whole team is a close-knit found family. It also has a very TV-esque approach to forensics, which won't appeal to everyone - they have a ChatGPT inspired AI bot that gets more screentime than some of the human team members - but as a long standing fan of TV police procedurals, I could roll with it.

The frustrating part of this book is that I think it could have done with a thorough final edit. There are some minor typos, and some slightly more annoying mix-ups in the text conversations (the text bubbles are attributed to the wrong people so the conversations are hard to follow.) Ramon is a bit of a heavy-handed stereotype, and a good editor would have stripped that back some. Overall I look forward to the next book in the series, not just to see where that cliffhanger goes but also to see how the author's writing evolves.

"The Therapy Room" captivated me from the very beginning, offering a thrilling experience reminiscent of a gripping crime show. Susan, the main character, is a force to be reckoned with – her big personality jumps off the pages, making her an engaging and memorable protagonist. The author skillfully develops Susan's character, and her complexities keep me hooked.

Susan's daughter, Natalie, adds depth to the story, providing a compelling supporting role that brings out Susan's softer side. Their relationship creates a well-rounded dynamic that enhances the narrative, showcasing both the tough and tender facets of Susan's personality.

While the plot is undeniably appealing and addictive, the interactions between Susan and Naved struck me as choppy. I found myself hoping for a smoother development in their relationship in the next installment. Despite this, the overall storyline kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to uncover the next twist. One aspect that left me with mixed feelings was the ending. It felt somewhat like the conclusion of a TV show episode – neatly tied up with a bow. This resolution, though satisfying in its own right, didn't quite align with the overall tone and intensity of the story. However, the author compensates for this with a significant cliffhanger, a classic move reminiscent of television dramas. This unexpected twist left me hungry for more and piqued my interest in the sequel.

"The Therapy Room" is a must-read for those who enjoy the adrenaline rush of a good crime show. I eagerly anticipate the next installment and recommend this novel to fellow crime enthusiasts who crave a riveting read.

I would like to express my gratitude to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is a good police procedural that introduces new characters and a novel plot. It offers some clever twists and thrilling suspense. But because of the cliffhanger at the end, the story felt incomplete.

Thank you to the Sam Baron, Storm Publishing, NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Wow. This book takes you on a wild ride. There are a lot of twists and turns I was able to figure out who the Therapist was however, there is a huge cliffhanger at the end. Now I’m impatiently waiting for the next book. Wonderful writing that grabbed my attention from the very first page. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

Suspended FBI Special Agent Susan Parker is called out to a farm, finding a man dead in the kitchen, and eleven emaciated people sitting in cells in the basement. There is a note on the door with her name and phone number.

She investigates the case along with her top notch team, and Naved, a police officer who transferred from the city.

Her husband had been murdered a year before, and Susan was suspended because she attacked a therapist.

She was hunting a serial killer called "Splinter", but has to now find the Therapist.

I have to say I expected a little more from this book. More suspense, more action, more intrigue, more twists.
I did enjoy it, but I figured out who the therapist was early on.
The book finishes on a cliff hanger, just as Susan is about to find out who actually killed her husband Amit.
So there will definitenly be a sequel to this book, but I THINK that I have it figured out.
I would like to read the next book, to see if I am right.

I have to award this 3/5, while I enjoyed the book, the characters could have been fleshed out a little more. The team, and Naved as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Susan Parker is on leave after an incident occurred last year after the death of her husband. One night she gets called to a farm house where they find the body of the main suspect in the Splinter case, a case Susan Parker worked on before she went on leave. Along with the body, there are 12 therapy rooms in the basement with victims who are not talking and a post it note with Susan Parker’s name and number on it.

This has such a good premise and I was so excited to dive right into it. I really enjoyed the whole creepiness that came with the victims and the fact that they weren’t talking and they kind of just sat in the their therapy rooms when the police came. I also really liked Susan’s team dynamic and how they were all there for Susan after having a difficult year with losing her husband and then a breakdown.

What took me out of the story were the consistencies with the timeline and not having things just explicitly said and having to mental gymnastics to try and figure out what happened. Let’s start with the timeline. I’m assuming that the book is intended to take place from thanksgiving to Christmas and for the most part we were there, but there would be time when all of a sudden it was the beginning of November or it was the day after thanksgiving and few days later it was Christmas Eve. Like huh? I was so confused, I thought I had skipped ahead or something. It happened so often that it took me out of the story and I was annoyed. Also, what child is going to school on thanksgiving and the day after. Doesn’t make sense. Another thing that I didn’t enjoy was that some things were explicitly said. For example, Susan has the cops watching over the vics ask them all a question and they come back with an answer that seems important but we never are told what the question is. This seems like an important moment in the book but we aren’t even clued as to why. These brought me out of the book often enough that it tainted my enjoyment of it.

The book ended on a pretty major cliffhanger which kind of sucked because the cliffhanger seemed to be such an important part to the case. Overall, a solid premise with a predictable but entertaining twist but needs some editing.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm.

I loved the premise of The Therapy Room! The old farmhouse sounds just perfect for a solid thriller! A very atmospheric and suspenseful story. It is well written and has the right amount of twists and turns.

The only let down for me were the FBI agents that I just don’t believe that’s how they would communicate, their dialogue seemed off and there were also some mistakes in the timeline!

FBI agent Parker, decommissioned after the death of her husband, has to go back to chasing the serial killer "Splinter" in a case where with 12 potential suspects/victims there are more questions than answers.
First of all, I loved the variety of the characters, and the fact that it was a little bit different from the usual stereotypes. The group that Sarah Parker is with is interesting enough to make you want to know more and in her personal life, I adored the relationship with her daughter and how supportive her sister-in-law is of her.
The novel itself is a non-stop thriller with a case that has many open fronts and uncertainties. It manages to keep your attention completely until the end with a cliffhanger that will make you want to read the next book.

This book was fantastic. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

This book had a little of everything! It had high suspense, murder, mystery, serial killers, great police work, and some crazy twist and turns!

The story was so interesting and def makes you want to read more!

I will recommend this book as it was well worth the read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and can't wait for more in this series!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review.

Great Writing, Great Read!

FBI agent Susan Parker has been on leave for a year following an incident that she was involved with. She had been working on the "Splinter" serial killer murders when she went out.

She is called back by another agent and asked to come to the farmhouse where Dr. Magnusson has been found, murdered. In the basement are 12 "therapy" rooms where people are locked in. Susan thinks that the doctor is the Splinter."

Susan is grieving the supposed suicide of her husband and it becomes apparent that he was involved with the serial killer.

The book is fast paced and I thoroughly enjoyed it

The Therapy Room is a thriller novel by Sam Baron.
I enjoyed this novel. I found it a little slow to start but it soon picked up the pace. I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. This novel was a good page turner and I do recommend it.
❤️ Thank you to netgalley, Storm publishing and the author for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

FBI agent Susan Parker has been placed on extended leave due to an incident whilst she was in charge of the Splinter serial killer case. Amit, Susan’s husband, allegedly took his own life in the home of one of the Splinter victims, and this, along with the stress of the case, tipped the FBI agent over the edge. When the Splinter resurfaces, Susan is once again given the job of finding the person behind the killer.

This is the first in a new series with Agent Parker. By the time the second book is ready I hope that a beta reader is used. In this book there are too many inconsistencies to be acceptable, and how times can “slash” be used before someone notices? When talking about Gennifer Mason to DC Hallett of the Gloucestershire Constabulary he speaks likes someone out of the 50’s - “in her cups”, “have their tickets punched”, “mental asylum”, “our Genny”, a proper PC Plod character!

I liked most of the characters, though Susan is dull and inconsistent, she didn’t grab my attention enough to be a main character. A bit of professional background about Amit would have been useful. To be such a pivotal role, all we know is that his mother is awful and his dad is a sweetie!

The last chapter is written so that the reader wants more, a cliffhanger. This makes the book seem unfinished.

The errors spoil what is essentially a really good story, just poorly put together.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm.

The very epitome of page-turner with a chilling storyline that grips from the first and kept me guessing right up to the heart-racing denouement STUNNER ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️