This is a dark, disturbing, gory thriller about a therapist who treats a serial killer. While he is locked away, a copycat killer emerges.

This is a darker thriller than most and after reading I felt like I needed to scrub my brain to think happy thoughts again. It involves talk of the devil and demons. This might be hard for some to read.

I liked the fact that every time I thought I had the story figured out, something would happen that would make me think ‘no that can’t be right’, so I was definitely kept on my toes.

When I found out what was truly going on in the end, it was one of the options I had guessed, but it was never obvious throughout the story which was good, because it kept me reading to try to figure it out.

I almost didn’t read this one, because I saw some bad reviews. I am glad I did, because I thought it was good.

I’ll read any thrillers about therapists. This one had so much potential and for the first 25%, I thought it was going to be 5 stars, but the middle dragged out and the ending fell completely flat for me. Great concept though.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

4.5/5

Alright, I'm going to say it. S.A. Falk is better than Freida McFadden. It took me less than 24 hours to get through this one and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Having read both Falk's novels now, I think he'll be one of my new "auto-buy" authors.

So much of this book was very well done. It's fast-paced, easy to follow, and really engages you as a reader. It is a little bit weird reading something that is set in the current time period, but I think that made the story much more immersive. The characters are well-developed and the spiraling madness that surrounds this whole story was very intriguing. I will also say that I really enjoy that a big part of this story happens in my hometown, I thought it was fun... in a morbid way, I guess, since this story is about a serial killer😅

The ONE "complaint" (if you could even call it that) is that I absolutely had this book figured out well before the big reveal. That being said, I really don't think that took anything away from the story as a whole. I enjoyed the path that Falk takes to get to the final twist and the build up to it had my heart pounding.

Overall, I really did enjoy this one!

Wow this was a good read!! It was almost 5 stars for me but I felt the ending was rushed and I wanted a little more but overall I really enjoyed it! I didn’t see the twist coming!! Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.
This exciting thriller is full of so many twists and turns!! It kept me in suspense the whole time. I was completely shocked at the ending. A great read!!

'Nurse Ratched' meets Stephen King. 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' meets Hannibal Lectre.

"He leans forward as far as his shackles will allow him to go before whispering, 'You gotta watch out for curiosity. You might not like what you find out.'"

This book immediately snatched my interest and kept me captivated to the end. Well written, well researched, well developed, with believable, relatable characters. This story blew me away. Trent only gets more and more intriguing and mysterious, all the while Dr. Fletcher is withholding some skeletons of her own. And Larua. Yikes! Is the demon real or an excuse?

Supernatural. Demons. Possession. Murder. Serial killer. Psychopaths. Chilling. Spooky. Sinister. Mind games. Twists and turns. Mystery. Thrilling. This story literally has it all and I absolutely loved it.

My only complaint is that it finished before I was ready! The story came to a logical conclusion but I wanted more. I’d love to see a follow up exploring what happened next. This book explores the fine line we all tread and the different perspectives make it even more fascinating - who is driving the agenda and who can the reader believe? In the intriguing settings of a psychiatric facility, a crime scene, a police station and on the road, this book really takes you to the heart of the action.

This book was captivating from the start, the writing style really drew me in.
While I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I feel that the author did a great job with writing about mental health illnesses and bringing to life the role of a psychiatrist with Dr.Fletcher.
My only dislike is the use of religious topics, specifically the subject matter of satanic worship, and it may have changed how I felt about the book.
The book kept me guessing how everything would tie together and connect in the end. I began suspecting part of the ending fairly early on, but I enjoyed the way the author presented what was happening.
I still have some unanswered questions, so I would say the ending did not wrap up all the loose ends.
Overall this book has a good storyline and the writing style makes you feel immersed in the story.

I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book. I love psychological thrillers and as a therapist myself, I was immediately captivated by the synopsis. The story follows a psychiatrist, Dr. Stephanie Fletcher, following the death of her beloved therapist. The audience soon discovers Dr. Fletcher has trauma of her own that has led her to the work she does as a criminal corrections lead psychiatrist of a hospital focused on the rehabilitation of convicted murderers. The premise of the book follows Dr. Fletcher as she treats a convicted murderer with significant PTSD, Schizoaffective Disorder, and likely, other diagnoses. The premise of the book checked a lot of boxes for me…I’m not sure it delivered. The writing drew me in; however, it it felt disconnected at times and often, I wanted to know more about certain characters. I felt like the main twist was expected and not a surprise, but it was interesting. This book featured a lot of gore and some thriller/psychological components, but it didn’t hold a ton of suspense for me. I also noticed a lot foreshadowing with certain characters and (because I don’t want to give anything away) was not completely surprised by the ending. This was a pretty fast read and I did feel pretty engrossed in the plot. I wanted to know more!! Lastly, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it seemed to end abruptly. The author could have added more to make the ending more substantial — after all the build up, it ended rather quickly. Overall, I enjoyed it. If you enjoyed The Silent Patient, you might enjoy this!! It really intrigued me and it held my attention!

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley, and of course, S. A. Flak for the opportunity to read this interesting thriller through ARC. All of my opinions are my own and this is my honest review!!

#TheTherapist #NetGalley #bookreview #newthriller #newpsychologicalthriller #thrillerbooks

3.5 stars

We have Dr.Fletcher who is a psychiatrist at the Department of Corrections who treats patients with extreme mental illness. The interactions between the therapist and the serial killer were fun but it did start to get repetitive.

The whole copycat angle kept me glued to the book however I would have liked not reading the gory details. The author could have kept that to a minimum. The back and forth between the detective and the therapist seemed lackluster and he didn't actually have anything interesting to add.

The author was successful in running us through loops but eventually with the excessively and unnecessary short paragraphs, you tend to figure it out before the reveal. The ending though... I couldn't decide if I liked it or found it abrupt.

I give this book 3.5 stars for doing a good job of revealing the trauma of a sexual abuse victim.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the E-Arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed about 85% of this book. I. was fully engaged from start to almost end. Where it lost me, and I was not fulfilled as a reader was the ending.

Synopsis (no spoilers):
A serial killer, known previously as a famous musician, Trent Davis, is caught and deemed insane. He is locked up in a state facility and treated by a psychiatrist who wants to get inside Trent's head and understand his diagnosis and why he committed the crimes he did. She digs into his history, his lyrics, and his mind only to be reminded of her own trauma. A copycat killer soon emerges and she works with the police to find out who is performing these horrific killings. Who it is, is truly shocking,

Positives (no spoilers):
The poetry, riddles, and nods to different artists in the book was a very fun and niche touch.

The game being played between the doctor and the patient was very fun to watch and I found myself holding my breath to see what they would say next.

Critiques(spoilers!):
The ending felt insanely rushed with way too much left for interpretation. The underlying idea is that she either 1) is also psychotic just as Trent is or 2) Trent's demon invaded her. Either way, both just were not satisfying endings. I think paying into psychosis is a great idea, but for this book, in this way, it was not executed quite right.

The rushed ending also felt abrupt. especially because she took a long and careful time to get to know Trent and his mind, you would think that there would be other symptoms of her psychosis other than 'not taking care of herself' by wearing the same clothes and not sleeping much if they wanted his mental illness to spark hers.

Brilliant read. The writer has indepth knowledge of her subject. Maybe trainee therapists shouldn't read this. It'll put you off for life. Looking forward to reading more work by this author as she combines my 2 favourite things- mental health and murder 😁

A dark and twisty psychological thriller! I love any books with psych wards or dealing with the dark side of mental health and this was both. This kept me hanging on until the very end and I enjoyed it! Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

Dr Stephanie Fletcher works as a psychiatrist in a facility for the criminally insane. When a particularly vicious serial killer Trent Davis arrives, she is in charge of his treatment. Soon after a copycat appears and Dr Fletcher begins to help the police.
The book has an interesting beginning. Dr Fletcher tries to get into the mind of the killer and understand his motivations but it brings her old demons to light, especially now that the doctor and friend who treated her has just died.
We see the events that have created a monster like Trent and how he tries to manipulate her.
The pace is leisurely, taking its time explaining the traumas of both, yet the conversations in therapy between them seemed too rushed.
The relationship between Dr. Fletcher and Detective Navarro didn't really stick with me either.
Halfway through the book, despite the twists and turns, you can practically imagine the ending, which I found a bit abrupt.
That said, it's not a bad book, although something was missing. It reads very quickly because you want to know more and it certainly fulfils its function of entertaining the reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Therapist by S.A. Falk in exchange for an honest review due to be published April 25, 2024.
Dr. Stephanie Fletcher is a psychiatrist and criminologist at Pantano State Hospital. Their new arrival is Trent Davis – a Jeffrey Dahmer/Charles Manson former heavy metal turned serial killer. As Dr. Fletcher treats Trent, she can’t help but wonder, since he looks so “normal”, if he is truly capable of the crimes for which he was accused. Will she fall for his innocent looks or is she in danger?
The Therapist started out “normal”, but – wow – it built and built! It was insane. I never would have seen the ending coming – it was mind-blowing. I just thought I had it figured out, but nope! Trent Davis was cunning and evil, and Dr. Fletcher tried to figure him out and who his copycat was. What a shock at the end!
If you love Criminal Minds and Forensic Files, you will love it!
#NetGalley #SAFalk #StormPublishing #TheTherapist

The Therapist completely had me on a rollercoaster. Filled with twists and turns and i absolutely loved it

thanks netgalley and publisher. all thoughts and opinions are my own

Dr. Fletcher is a psychiatrist who works in a correctional facility and treats the “criminally insane." When a notorious serial killer arrives and copycat crimes begin, Fletcher sets out to uncover the truth.

This book was DARK. I definitely wasn't expecting all the blood and guts (literally...). Yet, I was unable to put it down. I predicted the ending about halfway through, but I was still entertained by the story. This was my first book by S.A. Falk and I’m looking forward to checking out The Patient’s Secret next.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thriller fans are going to eat this one up! I enjoyed the ride alongside Dr. Fletcher and Det. Navarro. There were a good amount of twists and turns to keep you guessing and great easter eggs for those who are sleuthing along with the main characters. The main character was a bit insufferable at times, but hey, not every MC is going to be a book bestie. If you like a well-paced thriller, you'll probably enjoy this. It might have you sleeping with a night light though!

This story just messed with my head. The ending was totally unexpected! Dr Stephanie Fletcher is a correctional psychiatrist at a correctional psychiatric facility. She's good at her job but the most recent patient starts to get to her. She gets involved with a linked investigation and it becomes a pretty wild ride from there. A great, creepy story. I'm giving it 4 stars because the ending, although spectacular, just felt a little hurried.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

The plot twist was such an unexpected turn of events, it completely blindsided me!

Dr. Fletcher, a brilliant Psychiatrist and Criminologist, works at Pantano State Hospital, a facility specialising in forensic psychiatry. Then enters Trent Davis, and boy, does he send shivers down my spine.

The story takes its twists and turns, keeping me engaged throughout. Just when you least expect it, when you think you have it all figured out, the plot takes a dramatic twist, leaving you stunned and absolutely speechless.

I rated it 4/5 stars, as I would have loved to have read a slightly more developed conclusion following the unexpected plot twist. Other than that, it was truly an exceptional read

I received this book as an advanced reader copy for free and have provided my review absolutely voluntarily.