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The Dilemma By B.A. Paris

The DilemmaB.A. Paris is back with a new book called ‘The Dilemma’.

It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie. But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her? Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision. One day that will change a family forever.

Queen of suspense, BA Paris is back with a new domestic drama that I consumed in one day! Filled with twists and turns, the only time I could put the book down was when I stopped for tea.

As per BA’s previous novels, the story starts at the moment that something huge has happened and then travels back to the point leading up to it.

I really enjoyed this story, the duel narratives and insights gave a clever twist to the story that really did grab my attention. Seen from the narrative of husband and wife Livia and Adam, Livia finds out something terrible about her daughter and doesn’t want to ruin or cancel her party whilst Adam also finds out something terrible and also doesn’t want to ruin the day that his wife has wished for. It makes for interesting reading as the couple try to enjoy a significant day in their lives, but both are harbouring secrets that make it unbearable for each other.

I thought Livia was an interesting character who put much thought and effort into her 40th birthday party to make up for the small wedding that she had when she was younger and how Adam supported her on this flamboyant affair. But on a day that is meant to be memorable for happy reasons, is a day that both partners find themselves battling with morals and when to do the right thing.

An unique and fast paced thriller that really got inside my head about secrets, morals and relationships, BA has produced a book that stays with the reader long after they read the last page. ‘The Dilemma’ is a clever and emotional story that was riddled with drama tension throughout and had me racing through the pages

You can buy ‘The Dilemma’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

B.A. Paris Reveals New Book – The Dilemma

The DilemmaI’m so excited to see that one of my favourite psychological thrillers authors, B.A. Paris is back with a new book called ‘The Dilemma’.

What the back cover says –

It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie.

But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her?

Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision.

One day that will change a family forever, ‘The Dilemma’ is the breath-taking, heart-breaking new novel from the million-copy-selling, Sunday Times bestselling author.

Unfortunately this book won’t be out until 2020, so we’ll have a bit of a wait until we can get our hands on a copy.

You can pre-order ‘The Dilemma’ from Amazon and will be available to buy from good bookshops frm 9th January 2020.

Bring Me Back By BA Paris

Bring Me Back‘Bring Me Back’ is the latest book by BA Paris.

The Disappearance.
Twelve years ago Finn’s girlfriend disappeared.
The Suspicion.
He told the police the truth about that night. Just not quite the whole truth.
The Fear. Now Finn has moved on.
But his past won’t stay buried…

I first became aware of BA Paris, when she released her debut last year called ‘Behind Closed Doors’, a dark and gripping story about the complexities of a controlling relationship. I consumed that book in a day. I then read her next book called ‘The Breakdown’ at a hairdressers appointment where I spoke to no-one, as I was so absorbed in the story.

So. when I heard that she was back with a new book called ‘Bring Me Back’, I knew that it was going to be another great story that really hooked my attention, particularly with the hashtag #ForgetSleep.

I began to read this book late one evening and reluctantly put it down, as I had to go to work the following day. But with its short and snappy chapters and them all ending with an addictive hook, I found it impossible to put down.

The story is primarily seen through the eyes of Finn, a man who was hopelessly in love with Layla, a young woman he met on New Year’s Eve. They had an intense and passionate affair, until one day in France whilst on holiday, she disappeared. Now, twelve years later, Finn is about to marry her sister Ellen. When, suddenly he starts to find tiny Russian dolls dotted about his home and throughout his day and he begins to wonder has Layla returned, as she had a tiny Russian doll when he met her.

The tale is written in the past and present tense and gives us a great insight into Finn, his personality and how he became the man that is now. He’s a confident and successful man who’s content in his life, but never quite managed to get over the woman who suddenly left his life. As a controlling character, he has so many unanswered questions, he’s hoping that now they may finally be answered. Layla is quite an intriguing character, she’s mysterious, whilst her sister Ellen is quite boring in comparison, she’s settled in her ways and seems thankful that Finn loves her.

As well as Finn’s narrative, there’s also another unknown voice in the story adding an element of mystery to the tale.

I’ve come to the point, where I thoroughly adore BA’s writing, she’s the queen of psychological thrillers. She’s so skilled at writing psychological tales that really pull the reader in. Cleverly engaging their attention at every twist and turn and keeping them on their toes. Dark and compelling, with a bleak and atmospheric backdrop that made for bittersweet reading in parts, ‘Bring Me Back’ is a twisted tale of love and obsession and just how far we will go, to be with the one we love. You will most definitely #ForgetSleep when you start this book.

You can pre-order Bring Me Back from Amazon and will be available to buy from good bookshops from 8th March 2018.

B.A Paris Writers Tip

B.A. ParisAuthor of ‘The Breakdown’, B.A. Paris shares her writing tips for aspiring authors.

Write what you enjoy writing, not what is in fashion. At the moment, it’s psychological thrillers. If psychological thrillers aren’t your genre, don’t try to write one.

B A Paris

B A ParisB A Paris is the internationally bestselling author of ‘Behind Closed Doors’, her debut novel. She was brought up in England and moved to France where she spent some years working in Finance before re-training as a teacher and setting up a language school with her husband. They still live in France and have five daughters. Her second novel, The Breakdown is out now.

  1. To the readers of the blog, that may not be familiar with you or your writing, can tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into writing?
    I was born in England and moved to France when I was twenty-one, where I still live today. Writing was always there at the back of my mind but with five daughters, I never seemed to have the time. Then, about seven years ago, there was a writing competitions in the ‘Sunday Times’ and I told one of my daughters about it, because she’d told me she had an idea for a novel. But when she looked at the rules, she found she was too young to enter so she suggested that I try. I had always imagined myself as a writer of children’s stories so the thought of writing an 80,000 word novel was daunting. But that night I had an idea for a story and began writing the next day. It didn’t win the competition but I couldn’t stop writing, and have been ever since.
  2. Tell us about your new book ‘The Breakdown’.
    It tells the story of Cass, a young woman who, driving home during a storm one night, decides to take a short cut through some woods. She sees a woman broken down in her car and although she stops, she’s too scared to get out of her car to check on the woman in case it’s a trap. The next day, she hears that the woman has been murdered and feels enormous guilt. She also been having problems with her memory and when she begins to receive silent calls, she wonders if the murderer is after her.
  3. What do you think makes a good thriller?
    There needs to be pace and tension, to keep the reader turning the pages.
  4. If you were to start your own book club, what authors would you ask to join?
    I’d invite authors from all different genres. Most of the authors I’ve met through my writing tend to be writers of psychological thrillers, and while I’d invite them to join, I think it would be interesting to have a greater variety.
  5. What has been the highlight of your career so far?
    The moment my lovely agent Camilla Wray said she wanted to represent me was a pretty big one. Seeing my book in a bookshop for the first time, another. Hitting the New York Times bestseller list and receiving the Neilsen Bestseller Award in January for having sold 500,000 copies of ‘Behind Closed Doors’ were pretty amazing too. I feel very lucky.
    The Breakdown
  6. What’s your favourite book of all time?
    Such a difficult question. It’s like asking a chocoholic what their favourite chocolate bar is! I love different books for different reasons. As soon as I name one, I think immediately of another I liked just as much. I’d probably have to go for a book that made a huge impact on me in my early teens, ‘Trinity’ by Leon Uris. Or ‘We Need to Talk about Kevin’ by Lionel Shriver.
  7. If you were starting your writing journey again, would you do anything differently?
    No, because it’s been a wonderful journey so far. Sometimes I regret not starting earlier but if I had, maybe I wouldn’t be the writer I am today.
  8. What area do you suggest a budding writer should concentrate on to further their abilities?
    Write what you enjoy writing, not what is in fashion. At the moment, it’s psychological thrillers. If psychological thrillers aren’t your genre, don’t try to write one. 
  9. If you were stranded on a desert island, which three books would you bring with you to pass the time?
    A Nancy Mitford novel for diversion, ‘One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich’ by Solzhenitsyn for contemplation (and because I’m stuck on a desert island and not in a gulag!) and ‘Les Misérables’ so that I can keep my French up to scratch.
  10. When sitting down to write, what is the one item you need beside you?
    My mobile. When I need to take a break from writing, I catch up with my family or friends, or Twitter.
  11. And finally, do you have any projects or releases on the horizon which you would like to share with the readers of the website.
    I’m currently writing Book 3, which will be out next year. I hope to have finished it by the summer and then I’ll be working on my next novel.

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