Author: B. A. Paris
Publisher: Macmillan Audii
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Format: Audio ALC and Kindle ARC
Narrator: Georgia Maguire
Length: 8 hrs 10 mins
No. of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: February 17, 2026
My Rating: 3 Stars
The multimillion-copy and New York Times bestseller B. A. Paris returns with a triumphant, unsettling new suspense novel.
Who is watching Nell Masters?
Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.
Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .
Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?
Who is watching Nell Masters?
Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.
Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .
Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?
MY THOUGHTS:
Nell Masters is convinced she’s being followed. She’s certain it’s no coincidence; she’s haunted by events from years ago. In her past life, she was Elle Nugent. One day, she witnessed a fellow student getting into a strange car. Tragically, the young woman was found dead, and Nell was certain of the culprit. This obsession led to tragic consequences, prompting her to change her name.
Is someone executing a plan of revenge for Nell? She is not simply paranoid. There are very specific things that are happening in her life presently that point to proof that she is unsafe, and this leads to difficulties as to knowing who to trust in her circle.
The story shifts in perspective as it’s peppered with journal entries that end with the ominous words, “when I kill you.” To complicate matters, Nell is tentatively happy with her new partner, Alex, but she knows that she is not the only one hiding secrets. There’s a shadow of secrets surrounding him, adding to Nell’s sense of unease.
Georgia Maguire’s narration of this audiobook is exceptional. The stalker’s notes, ending with the chilling phrase, “when I kill you,” are utterly terrifying. However, I found the characterization lacking. As someone who values communication, it became tiresome that Nell couldn’t trust anyone, especially as the story repeatedly emphasized this flaw.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for this free ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
B A Paris grew up in England but has spent most of her adult life in France. She has worked both in finance and as a teacher and has five daughters. Behind Closed Doors is her first novel.
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