lost in the shadows of self doubt

Author : B A Paris
Title : The Breakdown
Published : 09/02/2017
Pages : 384
Genre : Psychological Thriller
Publisher : HQ

     Cass Anderson didn’t stop to help the woman in the car, and now she’s dead. Ever since silent calls have been plaguing Cass and she’s sure someone is watching her. Consumed by guilt, she’s also starting to forget things. Whether she took her pills, what her house alarm code is – and if the knife in the kitchen really had blood on it.

     I first came across this author with her book Behind Closed Doors a brilliantly written book about abusive relationship. It was a book that kept me glued to every page as i sought out the truth. So as you can imagine it was with great joy that I picked up this book, with the hope that this would be another great book. 

     Cass and her husband Matthew have a normal life, they are happy in there life together. The one thing they feel they are lacking is a child in their world. So as we start in their story they being to talk about alternative ways. It is a topic that must weight heavily on couples that can't have children the natural way. So for Cass who is already feeling the stress and woes in a her life not stopping for a car parked at the side of the road is of little concern until she learns of the fate of this driver. With the doubling down of the guilt, she now feels her life starts to spin out of control. It is a difficult thing to tackle mental illness within the confines of a mystery novel. As I followed along with Cass I could not help but feel for her. With all the questioning she does of what she believes to be real she still comes across with an inner strength. This is a woman who wants to find out the truth of what not only is happening around her but to her. All the while her husband and friends are trying to do what they feel is right for Cass weather she can see it or not.

     Paris is great at turning things inside out and upside down. In this book, she takes us on a steady descent into someone's self-doubt. Her writing style lends it's self to this style of psychological thriller. This is not the sort of book with fast-paced twists and turns, but nonetheless, it will still keep you on the edge of your seat. I like the fact that we get these little clues along the way that would give insight into the final conclusion. The world Cass inhabits becomes more and more claustrophobic as she believes her mind is slipping away from her. A feeling I would think that real sufferers of dementia have. This was what robbed her mother of her life,  and yet another stress factor. Emotions are something that plays out heavily in this book. As we are put inside Cass's mind we follow her through each of the ever-increasing pressures.  

     Paris has once again delved the goods with this book. There is a real tension that runs through the spine of this book. I like the way she can get into your head and makes you whole heartily believe in what her characters go through. But as always things are not always as they seem. I would not wish to spoil the ending so there is not so much more I can say. All I would do I say that this time it didn't feel to me as much a whiplash moment but a gradual revel in the latter part of the book.