Rating: 5 stars
“Behind Closed Doors” is a psychological thriller unlike any of its kind. The novel was an instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller when it was released in 2016. The author of “Behind Closed Doors,” B.A. Paris, wrote her first novel as a fiction story based on suspicions from a friend’s marriage. Through beautiful style and language, “Behind Closed Doors” deals with heavy subjects such as domestic violence and abuse, exposing the dangers of an unhealthy relationship in today’s society.
The two main characters in the novel are Grace and Jack, a seemingly happy couple in love. After meeting Grace while she was dancing with her sister Millie, lawyer Jack Angel swept Grace off her feet with his poise, respect and confidence. Grace and Jack quickly get married and move in together, turning Grace’s world upside down. Grace becomes a prisoner in her home and with threats to hurt her younger sister, Jack is able to keep up appearances and the facade of a happy life while controlling and abusing Grace.
This novel is one of few that has the courage to expose the evils done to so many women around the world. Although it is hard to read at times, it is eye-opening. This book attempts to do what many other powerful novels of our time are doing. They are stirring for change and telling stories that have been long silenced.
In “Behind Closed Doors,” Jack tells Grace that he only chose her to marry because of how easily he can hide her away from the rest of the world, and she was severely punished whenever she tried to escape. Although hard to picture and come to terms with, these types of situations do occur and the depiction of a relationship like this is starkly realistic.
With celebrity cheating scandals and high divorce and domestic abuse rates, there will always be a need for honesty, frankness, and exposure when it comes to toxic relationships. B.A. Paris is an extraordinarily gifted adult fiction writer. Her ability to get you involved in the story and depict both haunting and captivating complex scenarios make this book impossible to put down.
The ending of the novel reveals twists and hidden secrets that show how horrible Jack really is. Grace is a heroine who stands up for herself and for abused women everywhere in this empowering story.
It takes courage to write about things that haunt you or things that society tells you not to talk about. Famous women like Adrienne Rich, Rachel Carson, Jane Austen, Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf made history and incited social change when they exposed the evils and problems in the world. B.A. Paris is now added to the list as someone whose powerful writing and voice can help change the course of history and expose the abuse and unhealthy relationships that impact many women.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse or violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233.
