Title: THE BREAKDOWN
Author: B.A.PARIS
ISBN: 9781250122469
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Pages: 328
Source: Private Copy
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.
But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.
The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.
Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…
Official Summary
17 June 2026
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
This book was brilliant – a five-star read from start to finish. I have spent a lot of time working through my backlist reads this year, and I cannot believe it has taken me this long to get to B.A. Paris’s books. She is fast becoming one of my favourite authors—I absolutely love her work.
Cass cannot forgive herself for not helping a woman stranded on the side of the road, especially after learning that the woman was murdered and that she knew her. But Cass had promised her husband she would avoid that road, meaning she cannot admit that she was there that night.
Then the silent phone calls begin.
Cass becomes convinced that the killer is coming after her. At the same time, she starts forgetting things, seeing things, and questioning her own mind. Could she, like her mother, be developing early-onset dementia?
This was such an intriguing and unsettling read. Cass is brilliantly portrayed—a woman who seemingly has everything she could want: a job she loves, a devoted husband, and a beautiful home. Yet you slowly watch her guilt over Jane’s death consume her as her world begins to unravel.
Dinner invitations she cannot remember making. An alarm code she suddenly cannot recall. Persistent phone calls that push her closer to the edge. Everything spirals further out of control, and when she agrees to medication, she finds herself trapped in a sleepy haze that only deepens her sense of helplessness.
The plot twist involving her husband and best friend completely caught me off guard. Their manipulation and calculated attempt to have Cass declared mentally incapable in order to gain access to her inheritance added another chilling layer to the story.
And when Cass accidentally discovers the phone that proves the truth, she not only uncovers the deception surrounding her life but also did not expect to solve Jane’s murder at the same time.
What made this novel especially frightening was how convincingly Paris showed just how easily someone’s reality can be manipulated by the people they trust most. Watching Cass’s life turned upside down and seeing how easily doubt can be planted in someone’s mind was genuinely unsettling.
This was a gripping, clever thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end and easily earned its five stars.
Also by B.A. Paris
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.
Review Coming Soon
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of eight novels, including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors, and her latest psychological thriller, When I Kill You.
Over nine million editions of her work have been sold worldwide, and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Her novel, The Breakdown, has been adapted for film under the title Blackwater Lane.
Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris, who spent most of her adult life living in France, worked in finance as a trader before retraining as an English teacher. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England.
I cannot believe that I have not shared my review of Behind Closed Doors with you yet. I read that at the start of the year. I will share it as soon as possible. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite B.A. Paris book? Please leave a comment below. Until Next time… Happy Reading!
