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Behind a Closed Door
Soon to be a major motion picture!
Would you kill a total stranger to save someone you love?
Sugar & Spice is the latest app craze taking the world by storm, but for Abby and Brendan Hollander, downloading it leads to a dangerous game of life and death. When the app assigns them a series of increasingly taboo tasks, they soon find themselves caught up in a twisted web of seduction and violence in this sexually charged dark thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Fourth Monkey—master of suspense, J.D. Barker.
Praise -
"J.D. Barker is a one-of-a-kind writer and that's a rare and special thing. Stephen King comes to mind and Lee Child, John Sandford. All one-of-a-kinds. Don't miss anything J.D. writes."
—James Patterson, #1 International Bestselling Author
"A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!"
—Jeffery Deaver, NY Times Bestselling Author
"I don't say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with."
—Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author
"Every one of his books is a must-read thriller."
—Eric Rickstad, NY Times Bestselling Author
"J. D. Barker is quickly becoming one of the best thriller writers working today."
—Book Reporter
"Devilishly dark."
� Library Journal
"Barker is a master wordsmith."
� AudioBookReviewer
"Masterful storytelling."
� Bookish
"J.D. Barker knows how to set a scene."
� Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"...on par with Stephen King, Joe Hill and especially, Dan Simmons. Riveting and relentless."
� BookTrib
"J.D. Barker was born to write suspense thrillers."
—The Real Book Spy
"Barker's slight of literary hand is absolute genius. He builds tension and then rips the rug right out from under you, just to do it all over again."
šܾٳٱٰ
"Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such literary royalty as Stephen King, Thomas Harris, and Dean Koontz, but he has blazed a unique path all his own."
� Fresh Fiction
"J.D. Barker is quite frankly one of the best crime thriller writers out there who should be on everyone's radar!"
� Novel Delights
"Barker's mastery of character and dialogue is noteworthy."
� Booklist
"Barker is the Mozart of thrillers!"
� GoodReads
"Barker is such a skilled and exciting writer, delivering a chilling, slow-build thriller, a final, jaw-dropping twist, and a cliffhanger ending that leaves readers dangling precariously by their fingertips."
� Lancashire Evening Post
"Mr. Barker doesn't just tell a story, he paints pictures with his words."
� BookBub
"If you haven't read any J.D. Barker, I strongly suggest you start now."
� ŷ
Would you kill a total stranger to save someone you love?
Sugar & Spice is the latest app craze taking the world by storm, but for Abby and Brendan Hollander, downloading it leads to a dangerous game of life and death. When the app assigns them a series of increasingly taboo tasks, they soon find themselves caught up in a twisted web of seduction and violence in this sexually charged dark thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Fourth Monkey—master of suspense, J.D. Barker.
Praise -
"J.D. Barker is a one-of-a-kind writer and that's a rare and special thing. Stephen King comes to mind and Lee Child, John Sandford. All one-of-a-kinds. Don't miss anything J.D. writes."
—James Patterson, #1 International Bestselling Author
"A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!"
—Jeffery Deaver, NY Times Bestselling Author
"I don't say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with."
—Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author
"Every one of his books is a must-read thriller."
—Eric Rickstad, NY Times Bestselling Author
"J. D. Barker is quickly becoming one of the best thriller writers working today."
—Book Reporter
"Devilishly dark."
� Library Journal
"Barker is a master wordsmith."
� AudioBookReviewer
"Masterful storytelling."
� Bookish
"J.D. Barker knows how to set a scene."
� Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"...on par with Stephen King, Joe Hill and especially, Dan Simmons. Riveting and relentless."
� BookTrib
"J.D. Barker was born to write suspense thrillers."
—The Real Book Spy
"Barker's slight of literary hand is absolute genius. He builds tension and then rips the rug right out from under you, just to do it all over again."
šܾٳٱٰ
"Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such literary royalty as Stephen King, Thomas Harris, and Dean Koontz, but he has blazed a unique path all his own."
� Fresh Fiction
"J.D. Barker is quite frankly one of the best crime thriller writers out there who should be on everyone's radar!"
� Novel Delights
"Barker's mastery of character and dialogue is noteworthy."
� Booklist
"Barker is the Mozart of thrillers!"
� GoodReads
"Barker is such a skilled and exciting writer, delivering a chilling, slow-build thriller, a final, jaw-dropping twist, and a cliffhanger ending that leaves readers dangling precariously by their fingertips."
� Lancashire Evening Post
"Mr. Barker doesn't just tell a story, he paints pictures with his words."
� BookBub
"If you haven't read any J.D. Barker, I strongly suggest you start now."
� ŷ
495 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2024
887 people are currently reading
19.9k people want to read
About the author
J.D. Barker
40books6,321followersJ.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL and the wildly popular 4MK series. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson. His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for both film and television. Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.
A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
jd
A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
jd
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 920 reviews
January 4, 2024
Sugar and Spice, but it’s not always nice!
Abby and Brendan Hollander’s marriage has become a little stale, and they decide that some counselling sessions will help. Their therapist Dr Donetti suggests they download an app called Sugar and Spice that is apparently taking the world by storm. They take her advice in order to help spice things up. Big mistake!
Initially it puts a little welcome steam back into their love life, but as the app sends ever more weird and dangerous missions for them to complete, they realise (too late) that it’s completely taken over their lives.
Well, ten out of ten for originality Mr Barker. This is a cautionary tale about clicking on some random app without checking (All) the terms of service - and how many of us actually do that - that small print that goes on forever? The app turns out to be a very dark and dangerous online game, but it provided lots of tension and it was certainly a page turner! I always thought my smartphone was the best that technology could offer - the bees knees, but � Behind A Closed Door� got me thinking that there was a lot to be said for my old flip phone after all!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Abby and Brendan Hollander’s marriage has become a little stale, and they decide that some counselling sessions will help. Their therapist Dr Donetti suggests they download an app called Sugar and Spice that is apparently taking the world by storm. They take her advice in order to help spice things up. Big mistake!
Initially it puts a little welcome steam back into their love life, but as the app sends ever more weird and dangerous missions for them to complete, they realise (too late) that it’s completely taken over their lives.
Well, ten out of ten for originality Mr Barker. This is a cautionary tale about clicking on some random app without checking (All) the terms of service - and how many of us actually do that - that small print that goes on forever? The app turns out to be a very dark and dangerous online game, but it provided lots of tension and it was certainly a page turner! I always thought my smartphone was the best that technology could offer - the bees knees, but � Behind A Closed Door� got me thinking that there was a lot to be said for my old flip phone after all!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
November 25, 2023
You may want to think twice next time you want to download an app!
Brendan and Abby have hit a bit of a rocky spot in their marriage and decide to seek out marriage counselor. This counselor may not be the most conventional but at this point they’re game to try anything. Her suggestion is that they download a new and popular app called Sugar & Spice. Guaranteed to put the heat back into their marriage!🔥
But what happens when an app wants to take over your life? How well do you read the small print, the before you clicked accept? Let me just say after reading this book I’ll always take a closer look! Ha, who am I kidding? I’ll just click accept like everyone else and hope for the best!🙈
This is another full-throttle thriller from the very talented J.D. Barker with a rather spicy start. But quickly moved into an all out unputdownable thrill ride. All in all J.D. once again kept me on the edge of my seat to the end!
Make sure to read the author's note on his inspiration for this novel. I think it’s something we’ve all experienced …�
A buddy read with Susanne that we both enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press
Brendan and Abby have hit a bit of a rocky spot in their marriage and decide to seek out marriage counselor. This counselor may not be the most conventional but at this point they’re game to try anything. Her suggestion is that they download a new and popular app called Sugar & Spice. Guaranteed to put the heat back into their marriage!🔥
But what happens when an app wants to take over your life? How well do you read the small print, the before you clicked accept? Let me just say after reading this book I’ll always take a closer look! Ha, who am I kidding? I’ll just click accept like everyone else and hope for the best!🙈
This is another full-throttle thriller from the very talented J.D. Barker with a rather spicy start. But quickly moved into an all out unputdownable thrill ride. All in all J.D. once again kept me on the edge of my seat to the end!
Make sure to read the author's note on his inspiration for this novel. I think it’s something we’ve all experienced …�
A buddy read with Susanne that we both enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press
November 11, 2023
"Sugar and Spice and all things nice..."
Not so much!
This one is a little different from the author's previous books. Abby and Brendan Hollander have decided to see a therapist to work on some of the issues in their marriage. When their therapist suggested an app titled Sugar & Spice, they decided to give it a try. It will bring a little heat, sizzle, and steam back to their marriage. Things start interesting enough but soon the app is giving them more twisted and dangerous things to do.
Initially, I wondered is Barker veering off into S&M territory? Is this his foray into erotica? Not so fast! There are many layers to this story. We have our main characters - Abby and Brendan Hollander and their friends. But there is also Romeo and Juliet who are killing people that an unnamed person (on a phone) is instructing them to do so. There is a lot more at play in this book than I initially thought there was. A lot of dangerous and sinister things are at play!
J.D. Barker's books are original and unique. They are also well written and well thought out. I had no idea where this book was going or how everything was connected. When everything came together, I had several "aha" moments and thought very clever and well played, Barker, well played.
For me this was a mixed bag. There were parts that I thought were absolutely brilliant and other parts where my attention waivered a little. But overall, I enjoyed this unique book and appreciated the author's note at the end of the book where he shares what inspired him to write this book. It was extremely relevant and timely.
Original, dark, well written, thought provoking, and captivating.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
Not so much!
This one is a little different from the author's previous books. Abby and Brendan Hollander have decided to see a therapist to work on some of the issues in their marriage. When their therapist suggested an app titled Sugar & Spice, they decided to give it a try. It will bring a little heat, sizzle, and steam back to their marriage. Things start interesting enough but soon the app is giving them more twisted and dangerous things to do.
Initially, I wondered is Barker veering off into S&M territory? Is this his foray into erotica? Not so fast! There are many layers to this story. We have our main characters - Abby and Brendan Hollander and their friends. But there is also Romeo and Juliet who are killing people that an unnamed person (on a phone) is instructing them to do so. There is a lot more at play in this book than I initially thought there was. A lot of dangerous and sinister things are at play!
J.D. Barker's books are original and unique. They are also well written and well thought out. I had no idea where this book was going or how everything was connected. When everything came together, I had several "aha" moments and thought very clever and well played, Barker, well played.
For me this was a mixed bag. There were parts that I thought were absolutely brilliant and other parts where my attention waivered a little. But overall, I enjoyed this unique book and appreciated the author's note at the end of the book where he shares what inspired him to write this book. It was extremely relevant and timely.
Original, dark, well written, thought provoking, and captivating.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
December 26, 2023
Don't download that APP!!! 😱
Wow, such a cautionary tale + a heavy dose of sugar & spice.
Brendan and Abby are working on their marriage and find an app called Sugar & Spice that promises to "fix your sex life". Okay, well what could wrong? Brendan tells her its just "a game" and if it tells them to do something they don't want, then they just won't.�Well, it doesn't quite work that way!
Reading this book felt dangerous! Things spin out of control fast. There are plenty of triggers, hardcore happenings that seemed to be driven by some kind of puppet master. Even though reading was uncomfortable at times, I couldn't put it down for long. I had to find out what was in store for the "players". ☠️
I appreciated the Author's Note where he reminds us of how our devices can sometimes rule our worlds and how we should always read the "Terms of Service" when we sign up for any contract. Just who is watching/listening to us? 👀
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one is OUT May 13, 2024
Wow, such a cautionary tale + a heavy dose of sugar & spice.
Brendan and Abby are working on their marriage and find an app called Sugar & Spice that promises to "fix your sex life". Okay, well what could wrong? Brendan tells her its just "a game" and if it tells them to do something they don't want, then they just won't.�Well, it doesn't quite work that way!
Reading this book felt dangerous! Things spin out of control fast. There are plenty of triggers, hardcore happenings that seemed to be driven by some kind of puppet master. Even though reading was uncomfortable at times, I couldn't put it down for long. I had to find out what was in store for the "players". ☠️
I appreciated the Author's Note where he reminds us of how our devices can sometimes rule our worlds and how we should always read the "Terms of Service" when we sign up for any contract. Just who is watching/listening to us? 👀
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one is OUT May 13, 2024
May 16, 2024
EXCERPT: . . . the app played its little triple chime and flashed a new message on her screen:
Wow, you're on a roll! As a Bronze member you can unlock special features currently in beta and not available to members of lesser stature. Would you like to unlock those features now?
Abby read the message and realised this was the first time it asked her a question and actually gave her he ability to answer Yes or No. Usually, there was only a single ok button. Maybe that was one of the glitches they'd fixed with yesterday's patch. She tapped Yes.
The app closed, and a small hourglass appeared on her screen as it downloaded some type of update. When the hourglass vanished, the app's logo appeared with v1.1 in the bottom corner.
Would you like to try a Sugar or a Spice?
The font was slightly different, but otherwise everything looked the same. Abby had been sitting with her feet curled up under her on the chair, and her legs had fallen asleep. She stretched out beneath her desk, let out a yawn, and clicked on Sugar.
Would you kill a total stranger to save your partner's life?
ABOUT 'BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR': Would you kill a total stranger to save someone you love?
Sugar & Spice is the latest app craze taking the world by storm, but for Abby and Brendan Hollander, downloading it leads to a dangerous game of life and death. When the app assigns them a series of increasingly taboo tasks, they soon find themselves caught up in a twisted web of seduction and violence.
MY THOUGHTS: Question: Do you ever read fully the terms and conditions of the apps you download? I don't. Or rather, I didn't. But after reading Behind a Closed Door, I many never download another app. In fact, I may even downgrade to a non-smart phone. J.D Barker has scared the living bejesus out of me!
I have often commented to friends that if you search for something online, you are later bombarded with information and products that you have researched. This happens to all of us. But what about when you are simply talking about something? - no online searches, no mentions or likes - just a purely verbal conversation between you and whoever. Increasingly often, this subject/item pops up on your feed. Is your technology listening to you? My honest opinion? HELL YES!
J.D. Barker has taken this premise one step further in this chilling thriller. A seemingly innocuous app that controls the lives of the characters. An app that promises to enhance your life, put the zing back in your struggling/flagging love life. An app that promises to reward you . . . just follow the prompts. How bad can it be? You can always uninstall the app - can't you?
I have loved everything I have read by this author, but all his previous novels pale in comparison to Beyond A Closed Door. This is one wild, but totally believable ride. And because it is completely plausible, possible, it is all that more scary.
For those of you who may be put off by the mention of erotica - don't be. It's really quite tame - definitely no Fifty Shades of Grey (thank goodness), and one heck of a lot better written!
Several hours after having finished reading, my heart is still pounding wildly. I am looking sideways at the smart TV. Feeling grateful I have never selected the option to connect the fridge to the internet, and I never purchased an Alexa. No robot vacuum cleaner. My car with all the bells and whistles? Nah, sorry, but I can't give up my heated seats. NOT FOR ANYTHING!
The best read of my 2024 reading year. Devious, diabolical and very, very frightening.
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
#BEHINDACLOSEDDOOR #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, IBPA, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Behind A Closed Door by J.D. Barker for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Wow, you're on a roll! As a Bronze member you can unlock special features currently in beta and not available to members of lesser stature. Would you like to unlock those features now?
Abby read the message and realised this was the first time it asked her a question and actually gave her he ability to answer Yes or No. Usually, there was only a single ok button. Maybe that was one of the glitches they'd fixed with yesterday's patch. She tapped Yes.
The app closed, and a small hourglass appeared on her screen as it downloaded some type of update. When the hourglass vanished, the app's logo appeared with v1.1 in the bottom corner.
Would you like to try a Sugar or a Spice?
The font was slightly different, but otherwise everything looked the same. Abby had been sitting with her feet curled up under her on the chair, and her legs had fallen asleep. She stretched out beneath her desk, let out a yawn, and clicked on Sugar.
Would you kill a total stranger to save your partner's life?
ABOUT 'BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR': Would you kill a total stranger to save someone you love?
Sugar & Spice is the latest app craze taking the world by storm, but for Abby and Brendan Hollander, downloading it leads to a dangerous game of life and death. When the app assigns them a series of increasingly taboo tasks, they soon find themselves caught up in a twisted web of seduction and violence.
MY THOUGHTS: Question: Do you ever read fully the terms and conditions of the apps you download? I don't. Or rather, I didn't. But after reading Behind a Closed Door, I many never download another app. In fact, I may even downgrade to a non-smart phone. J.D Barker has scared the living bejesus out of me!
I have often commented to friends that if you search for something online, you are later bombarded with information and products that you have researched. This happens to all of us. But what about when you are simply talking about something? - no online searches, no mentions or likes - just a purely verbal conversation between you and whoever. Increasingly often, this subject/item pops up on your feed. Is your technology listening to you? My honest opinion? HELL YES!
J.D. Barker has taken this premise one step further in this chilling thriller. A seemingly innocuous app that controls the lives of the characters. An app that promises to enhance your life, put the zing back in your struggling/flagging love life. An app that promises to reward you . . . just follow the prompts. How bad can it be? You can always uninstall the app - can't you?
I have loved everything I have read by this author, but all his previous novels pale in comparison to Beyond A Closed Door. This is one wild, but totally believable ride. And because it is completely plausible, possible, it is all that more scary.
For those of you who may be put off by the mention of erotica - don't be. It's really quite tame - definitely no Fifty Shades of Grey (thank goodness), and one heck of a lot better written!
Several hours after having finished reading, my heart is still pounding wildly. I am looking sideways at the smart TV. Feeling grateful I have never selected the option to connect the fridge to the internet, and I never purchased an Alexa. No robot vacuum cleaner. My car with all the bells and whistles? Nah, sorry, but I can't give up my heated seats. NOT FOR ANYTHING!
The best read of my 2024 reading year. Devious, diabolical and very, very frightening.
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
#BEHINDACLOSEDDOOR #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.
Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.
I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.
Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, IBPA, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Behind A Closed Door by J.D. Barker for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
April 22, 2024
My thanks to Hampton Street Press, J.D. Barker and Netgalley.
I loved this book. However, I'll not be leaving a review. Barker is good. His asshole-centric and creeptoid shit is unwelcome.
He knows what he did. He should take it to heart. Because most women would not forgive him for his VERY FUCKING CREEPY shit!
I'm giving this one notice....don't fuck up again Mr. Barker, because we women will only take so much. Your "much" is now in the past. Don't do it again.
I love this authors fiction. I always have. I've not ever read a damn thing from him that doesn't make my horror stricken heart think otherwise.
While this story wasn't one of my favorites, it still made me happy as shit to be a Barker fan.
Keep them coming and stop the creepster shit. I'd already be starting the divorce proceedings. Just saying.
I loved this book. However, I'll not be leaving a review. Barker is good. His asshole-centric and creeptoid shit is unwelcome.
He knows what he did. He should take it to heart. Because most women would not forgive him for his VERY FUCKING CREEPY shit!
I'm giving this one notice....don't fuck up again Mr. Barker, because we women will only take so much. Your "much" is now in the past. Don't do it again.
I love this authors fiction. I always have. I've not ever read a damn thing from him that doesn't make my horror stricken heart think otherwise.
While this story wasn't one of my favorites, it still made me happy as shit to be a Barker fan.
Keep them coming and stop the creepster shit. I'd already be starting the divorce proceedings. Just saying.
November 20, 2023
4-5 stars
‘Sugar and spice and all things nice
Kisses sweeter than wine�.� that’ll be a big fat NO!
Brendan and Abby Hollander consult a therapist to work out the problems in their marriage. She recommends they download an app, Sugar and Spice, to spice things up between them, so things are all sweet between them again, presumably. However, to say the app isn’t quite what they anticipate would be the understatement of the decade. It seems a bit, er, invasive, and along the lines of truth or dare. It starts to become very twisted sister, seriously messed up as they teeter precariously into dangerous territory and it’s only going to get a whole bunch worse.
I begin this latest original and creative offering from JD Barker and I’m thinking this is rather a change of direction, what’s going on here? There’s quite a lot of blushing (me) and eye popping (me again) as things definitely get fruity and spicy between Brendan and Abby and I’m certainly of the opinion they should ditch that app. If only they had listened to me, but then it wouldn’t have been half so entertaining, would it? They certainly end up wading in a whole load of effluent.
Alongside the increasingly scary demands of the app, is Brendan‘s job as a financial crime detective, investigating companies nefarious deeds and what is uncovered here becomes seriously weird and deepens the precarious nature of their situation. Initially I think some of this is somewhat far-fetched, but then I reflect for a bit and decide, actually it may be exaggerated, but it ain’t out of the realms of possibility. It gets darker and darker, very much JD style. The eyes are still popping but for different reasons!
It becomes a real puzzle you try to connect, it’s so suspenseful, intense, tense and naturally, twisty, twisty. I love the cliffhangers that many chapters finish on which certainly keeps me glued to the train wreck of Brendan and Abby‘s lives. It’s well plotted, it’s much tighter than some of his other novels, which makes a sharper and much more focused reading experience. It builds and builds, it’s absolutely action packed, and most certainly action movie worthy as it barrels and turns to a cracking end. it is definitely a wild train ride but it’s an entertaining one.
The moral of the tale ? So app(t). Buyer, beware, read your t’s and c’s, tech can work for you, but on the flipside� talking of flips� Where’s my old flip phone? That might be safer than big brother, watching and listening!! However, can I survive without my gadgets?!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hampton Creek Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
‘Sugar and spice and all things nice
Kisses sweeter than wine�.� that’ll be a big fat NO!
Brendan and Abby Hollander consult a therapist to work out the problems in their marriage. She recommends they download an app, Sugar and Spice, to spice things up between them, so things are all sweet between them again, presumably. However, to say the app isn’t quite what they anticipate would be the understatement of the decade. It seems a bit, er, invasive, and along the lines of truth or dare. It starts to become very twisted sister, seriously messed up as they teeter precariously into dangerous territory and it’s only going to get a whole bunch worse.
I begin this latest original and creative offering from JD Barker and I’m thinking this is rather a change of direction, what’s going on here? There’s quite a lot of blushing (me) and eye popping (me again) as things definitely get fruity and spicy between Brendan and Abby and I’m certainly of the opinion they should ditch that app. If only they had listened to me, but then it wouldn’t have been half so entertaining, would it? They certainly end up wading in a whole load of effluent.
Alongside the increasingly scary demands of the app, is Brendan‘s job as a financial crime detective, investigating companies nefarious deeds and what is uncovered here becomes seriously weird and deepens the precarious nature of their situation. Initially I think some of this is somewhat far-fetched, but then I reflect for a bit and decide, actually it may be exaggerated, but it ain’t out of the realms of possibility. It gets darker and darker, very much JD style. The eyes are still popping but for different reasons!
It becomes a real puzzle you try to connect, it’s so suspenseful, intense, tense and naturally, twisty, twisty. I love the cliffhangers that many chapters finish on which certainly keeps me glued to the train wreck of Brendan and Abby‘s lives. It’s well plotted, it’s much tighter than some of his other novels, which makes a sharper and much more focused reading experience. It builds and builds, it’s absolutely action packed, and most certainly action movie worthy as it barrels and turns to a cracking end. it is definitely a wild train ride but it’s an entertaining one.
The moral of the tale ? So app(t). Buyer, beware, read your t’s and c’s, tech can work for you, but on the flipside� talking of flips� Where’s my old flip phone? That might be safer than big brother, watching and listening!! However, can I survive without my gadgets?!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hampton Creek Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 18, 2024
Ever wondered what would happen if your relationship therapy came with a side of tech and a sprinkle of danger? Dive into the rollercoaster that is Abby and Brenda’s marriage in this thrilling read!
When Abby and Brenda find their marriage on the rocks, they turn to couples counseling for a lifeline. Enter their therapist’s unconventional solution: the Sugar and Spice app. Sounds cute, right? Well, it starts off that way. The app assigns them fun tasks to rekindle their spark and awards points for each completed task. But hold on to your seat, because things quickly take a wild turn. What begins as simple and sweet soon spirals into a series of dangerous dares, making it seem like the app has a sinister agenda of its own.
This book is a mixed bag of suspense and slow burns. The concept is fresh and intriguing, pulling you in with the promise of tech-driven therapy gone awry. There are moments of genuine tension and excitement as Abby and Brenda navigate the increasingly perilous challenges. You’ll find yourself rooting for them, cringing at the danger, and questioning what’s coming next.
However, be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride. There are sections where the pacing lags, and the narrative gets bogged down with overexplained details. These parts might have your mind wandering, but hang in there—the plot picks up again and keeps you engaged till the end.
Despite these slow patches, it’s an enjoyable read overall. The author’s creativity shines through, and there’s enough suspense and emotion to keep you turning the pages. This is my second book from this author, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what other intriguing tales they have up their sleeve.
In a nutshell, if you’re in the mood for a story that mixes marital drama with a techy twist and a dash of danger, give this book a try. Just be ready for a few slow spots, and you’ll find yourself entertained by this unique and thrilling journey.
When Abby and Brenda find their marriage on the rocks, they turn to couples counseling for a lifeline. Enter their therapist’s unconventional solution: the Sugar and Spice app. Sounds cute, right? Well, it starts off that way. The app assigns them fun tasks to rekindle their spark and awards points for each completed task. But hold on to your seat, because things quickly take a wild turn. What begins as simple and sweet soon spirals into a series of dangerous dares, making it seem like the app has a sinister agenda of its own.
This book is a mixed bag of suspense and slow burns. The concept is fresh and intriguing, pulling you in with the promise of tech-driven therapy gone awry. There are moments of genuine tension and excitement as Abby and Brenda navigate the increasingly perilous challenges. You’ll find yourself rooting for them, cringing at the danger, and questioning what’s coming next.
However, be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride. There are sections where the pacing lags, and the narrative gets bogged down with overexplained details. These parts might have your mind wandering, but hang in there—the plot picks up again and keeps you engaged till the end.
Despite these slow patches, it’s an enjoyable read overall. The author’s creativity shines through, and there’s enough suspense and emotion to keep you turning the pages. This is my second book from this author, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what other intriguing tales they have up their sleeve.
In a nutshell, if you’re in the mood for a story that mixes marital drama with a techy twist and a dash of danger, give this book a try. Just be ready for a few slow spots, and you’ll find yourself entertained by this unique and thrilling journey.
March 5, 2024
A twisty action-packed story by one of my favorite authors.
The day the married couple Abby and Brendan visit a therapist to solve their marital issues would be a day they would wish they could forget.
After the routine questions, answers and discussions, the therapist recommends the couple to download an app which would help them work out their problems and bring them closer together.
The day Abby and Brendan download the app is the day their nightmares begin.
Welcome to ‘Sugar & Spice�!
The object of the game is to complete tasks and earn points accordingly.
You either select Sugar which is simple and mild or Spice which is more difficult and risqué.
Playing the game is easy.
Leaving the game is not.
Thanks to the talented J.D. Barker, the NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for my free copy of the book.
The day the married couple Abby and Brendan visit a therapist to solve their marital issues would be a day they would wish they could forget.
After the routine questions, answers and discussions, the therapist recommends the couple to download an app which would help them work out their problems and bring them closer together.
The day Abby and Brendan download the app is the day their nightmares begin.
Welcome to ‘Sugar & Spice�!
The object of the game is to complete tasks and earn points accordingly.
You either select Sugar which is simple and mild or Spice which is more difficult and risqué.
Playing the game is easy.
Leaving the game is not.
Thanks to the talented J.D. Barker, the NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for my free copy of the book.
July 1, 2024
Un thriller entretenido para desengrasar y evadirse sin más. Lo he pasado muy bien con él.
Dice la sinopsis:
Abby y Brendan Hollander no son felices. Casados desde hace años, su matrimonio se encuentra en punto muerto. Él trabaja para el estado investigando delitos financieros y blanqueo de capital; ella es escritora, su primera novela fue un bestseller y ahora sufre un bloqueo que le impide escribir la segunda. Sus ahorros se están acabando, igual que su matrimonio, así que deciden ir a terapia de pareja. La terapeuta les aconseja que, para darle salsa a su relación y a su vida sexual, se descarguen Sugar & Spice, la aplicación del momento que está triunfando en todo el mundo y que está convencida de que los ayudará. Su funcionamiento es como el de verdad o reto: si escoges «Sugar», debes hacer algo picante, y si escoges «Spice», debes superar un reto. Al principio funciona y su relación mejora, pero poco a poco todo se complica y, sin darse cuenta, acaban atrapados en un peligroso juego a vida o muerte.
Mis impresiones.
Thriller palomitero de la factoría J.D. Barker que, en cuanto a argumento, poco tiene que ver con los anteriores. El estilo sí es similar, capítulos cortos, ritmo vivo, mucha acción y muchos giros, es decir todos los elementos del thriller de manual, pero hay que reconocerle al autor la gran versatilidad que tiene a la hora de idear tramas.
En esta novela se pueden distinguir dos partes. En la primera, la que más me enganchó, Barker pone en juego un clima de intriga y suspense que va en aumento. Es una parte perturbadora por lo creíble que suena. Mueve a reflexión sobre el poder que conferimos, vía permisos, a las aplicaciones informáticas. Digamos que después de esta lectura miro de otra manera a todos mis dispositivos electrónicos.
En la segunda, la novela da un giro y se vuelve más peliculera. Por decirlo de alguna manera es más Barker. El ritmo se acelera, la acción es un frenesí y disminuye la credibilidad. No es que en esa parte la trama esté mal llevada, que no lo está, pero ese desasosiego que había creado precisamente por resultar verosímil se pierde en parte. Es también el momento en el que se encajan las piezas. Hay cosas que se ven venir, aunque no por ello se pierde el interés.
Los personajes son los que corresponden al género, esbozados lo justo sin que se eche en falta más. Me ha gustado esa Abby versus "QHE" (los que hayan leído el libro lo entenderán), y las revelaciones finales sobre ella.
El final, el esperado, coherente, con escenas de acción visuales y bien trazadas.
IMPORTANTE: Imprescindible leer la nota final del autor donde ilustra con un caso real el porqué de la primera parte.
En conclusión. Thriller de la factoría Barker. Trama interesante y bien llevada, ritmo vertiginoso y mucha acción. Desengrasante, disfrutón y perturbador. Recomendable.
Dice la sinopsis:
Abby y Brendan Hollander no son felices. Casados desde hace años, su matrimonio se encuentra en punto muerto. Él trabaja para el estado investigando delitos financieros y blanqueo de capital; ella es escritora, su primera novela fue un bestseller y ahora sufre un bloqueo que le impide escribir la segunda. Sus ahorros se están acabando, igual que su matrimonio, así que deciden ir a terapia de pareja. La terapeuta les aconseja que, para darle salsa a su relación y a su vida sexual, se descarguen Sugar & Spice, la aplicación del momento que está triunfando en todo el mundo y que está convencida de que los ayudará. Su funcionamiento es como el de verdad o reto: si escoges «Sugar», debes hacer algo picante, y si escoges «Spice», debes superar un reto. Al principio funciona y su relación mejora, pero poco a poco todo se complica y, sin darse cuenta, acaban atrapados en un peligroso juego a vida o muerte.
Mis impresiones.
Thriller palomitero de la factoría J.D. Barker que, en cuanto a argumento, poco tiene que ver con los anteriores. El estilo sí es similar, capítulos cortos, ritmo vivo, mucha acción y muchos giros, es decir todos los elementos del thriller de manual, pero hay que reconocerle al autor la gran versatilidad que tiene a la hora de idear tramas.
En esta novela se pueden distinguir dos partes. En la primera, la que más me enganchó, Barker pone en juego un clima de intriga y suspense que va en aumento. Es una parte perturbadora por lo creíble que suena. Mueve a reflexión sobre el poder que conferimos, vía permisos, a las aplicaciones informáticas. Digamos que después de esta lectura miro de otra manera a todos mis dispositivos electrónicos.
En la segunda, la novela da un giro y se vuelve más peliculera. Por decirlo de alguna manera es más Barker. El ritmo se acelera, la acción es un frenesí y disminuye la credibilidad. No es que en esa parte la trama esté mal llevada, que no lo está, pero ese desasosiego que había creado precisamente por resultar verosímil se pierde en parte. Es también el momento en el que se encajan las piezas. Hay cosas que se ven venir, aunque no por ello se pierde el interés.
Los personajes son los que corresponden al género, esbozados lo justo sin que se eche en falta más. Me ha gustado esa Abby versus "QHE" (los que hayan leído el libro lo entenderán), y las revelaciones finales sobre ella.
El final, el esperado, coherente, con escenas de acción visuales y bien trazadas.
IMPORTANTE: Imprescindible leer la nota final del autor donde ilustra con un caso real el porqué de la primera parte.
En conclusión. Thriller de la factoría Barker. Trama interesante y bien llevada, ritmo vertiginoso y mucha acción. Desengrasante, disfrutón y perturbador. Recomendable.
June 22, 2024
Esta novela es sorprendente, adictiva, horrorosa de pensar hacia donde nos puede conducir la tecnología.
Escenario: Boston, en la actualidad.
Brendan y Abby, Hannah y Stuckey. Son dos parejas de treinta y tantos que viven en una urbanización de alto standing, una casa enfrente de la otra. Ellos trabajan en la misma empresa de auditoría de delitos financieros. Ellas son íntimas amigas, una es escritora y la otra influencer. Todo muy de película americana.
Brendan y Abby están teniendo una crisis de pareja y una psicologa les recomienda la app "Sugar & Spice", que les va a ayudar a recuperar su relación sexual.
Con este comienzo, que es muy "spicy", no he reconocido el estilo de este autor de sus anteriores novelas. Eso sí, llegando casi a la mitad, ya aparece el J D. Barker de siempre. En este punto, el desarrollo se vuelve una locura. La trama se hace complicada y trepidante. Ya no hablamos de una app, sino de una intrincada red de intereses de alto nivel. Hay peligro en todas partes, asesinatos y muchas personas están implicadas.
Esta novela es tan adictiva que se lee del tirón sin poder parar. La trama es vertiginosa, demasiado rápida, diría yo. Precisamente por eso no le doy 5 estrellas, porque tal velocidad hace que dentro de nada no me acuerde de lo que he leído. Pero así es este autor. Te explota la cabeza. 😉
Escenario: Boston, en la actualidad.
Brendan y Abby, Hannah y Stuckey. Son dos parejas de treinta y tantos que viven en una urbanización de alto standing, una casa enfrente de la otra. Ellos trabajan en la misma empresa de auditoría de delitos financieros. Ellas son íntimas amigas, una es escritora y la otra influencer. Todo muy de película americana.
Brendan y Abby están teniendo una crisis de pareja y una psicologa les recomienda la app "Sugar & Spice", que les va a ayudar a recuperar su relación sexual.
Con este comienzo, que es muy "spicy", no he reconocido el estilo de este autor de sus anteriores novelas. Eso sí, llegando casi a la mitad, ya aparece el J D. Barker de siempre. En este punto, el desarrollo se vuelve una locura. La trama se hace complicada y trepidante. Ya no hablamos de una app, sino de una intrincada red de intereses de alto nivel. Hay peligro en todas partes, asesinatos y muchas personas están implicadas.
Esta novela es tan adictiva que se lee del tirón sin poder parar. La trama es vertiginosa, demasiado rápida, diría yo. Precisamente por eso no le doy 5 estrellas, porque tal velocidad hace que dentro de nada no me acuerde de lo que he leído. Pero así es este autor. Te explota la cabeza. 😉
January 23, 2024
Wow!! First 5 🌟 of the year for me!
JD Barker just never disappoints - this book was a wild, thrilling ride from start to finish. If you’re looking for an intense read, with lots of unexpected detours, you’ve come to the right place! Definitely recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!
JD Barker just never disappoints - this book was a wild, thrilling ride from start to finish. If you’re looking for an intense read, with lots of unexpected detours, you’ve come to the right place! Definitely recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 22, 2023
Thrilling until the end!
Behind A Closed Door begins with a therapy session. A couple's relationship, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is in trouble. When the first session ends, their therapist recommends that they download an app called Sugar and Spice to improve their sex life.
In the beginning, the app seems interested in only spicing their sex life but progressively it becomes more intense until the app asks Abby to kill someone or Brendan will die. Abby believes this is true but she is nowhere near ready to murder a stranger or is she?
J.D. Barker writes very interesting characters that take over your life while reading his books. I could not put this book down. I had to know how it was all related and what ending was I getting.
Was I able to guess some of the twists? Yes, but not all of them. This could be a great movie!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Hampton Creek Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
| | |
Behind A Closed Door begins with a therapy session. A couple's relationship, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is in trouble. When the first session ends, their therapist recommends that they download an app called Sugar and Spice to improve their sex life.
In the beginning, the app seems interested in only spicing their sex life but progressively it becomes more intense until the app asks Abby to kill someone or Brendan will die. Abby believes this is true but she is nowhere near ready to murder a stranger or is she?
J.D. Barker writes very interesting characters that take over your life while reading his books. I could not put this book down. I had to know how it was all related and what ending was I getting.
Was I able to guess some of the twists? Yes, but not all of them. This could be a great movie!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Hampton Creek Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
| | |
September 23, 2024
Man what a thrilling ride!! So It's been a while since I've read a solo JD novel. I may actually have one or two of his cowritten novels with James Patterson on my tbr shelves and even though I have loved all of those cowritten together I can't quite figure out why I have not read them as JD is my favourite author and I really enjoy Patterson too.
So in his author's notes JD explains how he took turns writing as a team and writing on his own and that he wrote four books on his own but never submitted them. When his wife pointed out he hasn't released anything in a couple of years he started submitting them and I see for myself that he has a few coming out which is great.
So when I saw what this book was about I had some hesitation in reading it. My issue is that I am not the biggest fan of sex related books and I have no idea why. I've always been exposed to porn as my dad was an avid collector of magazines and as soon as I understood what I was reading the letters akin to Penthouse forum were consumed by me, lol. Yet novels based on sex like those tagged dark I just kind of laugh at what I'm reading. And I think most of all if I want a sexual lift I can always surf the net for more and more increasingly shameful porn to paraphrase Rajesh's words on the subject from the Big Bang Theory.
I bring that up as I somehow feel I am not alone on this subject but let me tell you that this is not an oversexed novel. Though it does revolve around a sex app much of the deeds are implied like would you or wouldn't you? There is never really any explicit sex and much of it as mentioned is implied. So the app is a backdrop which is someone's aid in a massive fraudulent cover up. Our hero Brendan Hollander works for the SEC in its investigation division and they are currently looking into a peer to peer lending company called INTENT thinking there is something amiss with the company. The book intro's with him and his wife Abby at a psychiatrists and one of the first lines is from that psychiatrist asking when was the last time you two had sex? Through that conversation we learn that Brendan's coworker Kim kissed him and this has Abby all up in arms. They are counselled and advised by the psychiatrist to try this new app called sugar and spice as it should add to their sex lives.
And so the games begin and a chapter or two later we learn of a couple named Romeo and Juliet who are quite the stars of this novel as they are one hell of a killing team but why the hell are these kills being committed?
So the novel is so cool. It centres around the SEC investigating INTENT and they believe they know where related hidden money is being laundered - LAOS. Yet when their suspects into the frauds all start dying it really doesn't make sense. Like what is going on here?
So how does the app relate to all this? Well I really don't want to spoil things but the app is involved and it is gaining more and more power and is quite evil really. There ends up being over a billion subscribers to this app and it rewards customers with great sums of wealth based on points they earn through the app. Killing someone gets you quite the amount of money :) So as the app keeps getting stronger and stronger as once you are connected it can access all your secrets and such that are stored on your computers and phones. It is quite cool and quite quite believable. Again in the author's notes JD explains how he came up with this idea and it was through a google search of Bathfitters and how every time after when logging on the ad bombs re bathfitters were constantly harassing them. I think we can all identify with this aspect. JD also mentions that many of the devices out there listen and that you give them permission too when you sign up for the app. Again so spot on. My wife and I laugh our asses off when Alexa pipes into our conversation relating to a subject or even better days later comments on the subject when we have long left it. What a world we live in.
So this novel imo is more of a thriller and a kind of cat and mouse game which is quite dangerous indeed. JD as always is just so good in keeping you in the dark and leading you here and there with so many twists and turns. He masterfully keeps you guessing and keeps you confused till the end. By the way the ending is just phenomenal indeed!! This novel is about 550 pages long and yet I read it in four days. It was that good! Also I think that was another reason it sat on my shelf a little to long, in that it's long but finally I can comment on the font and how it was to me normal size and not the small fonts of what seems to be the rage lately. Maybe it's a publishing thing in saving pages and lowering costs. Anyway mainly due to the pacing of the book plus the font plus the shorter chapters made it all so compelling to just read on.
This novel is just so different. So scary on what it's actually based on, the premise. Also as a former fraud detective I really enjoyed the backdrop. In a recent book I read the author made fun of fraud detectives stating it was where detective work started. A training ground. Let me assure you that all cops in truthfulness are so scared of frauds. They are just so complicated that most of us do not understand them and the fraud office where I finished is always fielding calls from everyone regarding hey wtf do I actually have here? Training grounds - yeah right. So JD's SEC investigative wing is very akin to that and I really respected that. He showed their work in a very straight forward way. This novel was right down my alley way but again anyone can keep up with what's going on here as its really a thriller. An easy five stars from me and way to come back JD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So in his author's notes JD explains how he took turns writing as a team and writing on his own and that he wrote four books on his own but never submitted them. When his wife pointed out he hasn't released anything in a couple of years he started submitting them and I see for myself that he has a few coming out which is great.
So when I saw what this book was about I had some hesitation in reading it. My issue is that I am not the biggest fan of sex related books and I have no idea why. I've always been exposed to porn as my dad was an avid collector of magazines and as soon as I understood what I was reading the letters akin to Penthouse forum were consumed by me, lol. Yet novels based on sex like those tagged dark I just kind of laugh at what I'm reading. And I think most of all if I want a sexual lift I can always surf the net for more and more increasingly shameful porn to paraphrase Rajesh's words on the subject from the Big Bang Theory.
I bring that up as I somehow feel I am not alone on this subject but let me tell you that this is not an oversexed novel. Though it does revolve around a sex app much of the deeds are implied like would you or wouldn't you? There is never really any explicit sex and much of it as mentioned is implied. So the app is a backdrop which is someone's aid in a massive fraudulent cover up. Our hero Brendan Hollander works for the SEC in its investigation division and they are currently looking into a peer to peer lending company called INTENT thinking there is something amiss with the company. The book intro's with him and his wife Abby at a psychiatrists and one of the first lines is from that psychiatrist asking when was the last time you two had sex? Through that conversation we learn that Brendan's coworker Kim kissed him and this has Abby all up in arms. They are counselled and advised by the psychiatrist to try this new app called sugar and spice as it should add to their sex lives.
And so the games begin and a chapter or two later we learn of a couple named Romeo and Juliet who are quite the stars of this novel as they are one hell of a killing team but why the hell are these kills being committed?
So the novel is so cool. It centres around the SEC investigating INTENT and they believe they know where related hidden money is being laundered - LAOS. Yet when their suspects into the frauds all start dying it really doesn't make sense. Like what is going on here?
So how does the app relate to all this? Well I really don't want to spoil things but the app is involved and it is gaining more and more power and is quite evil really. There ends up being over a billion subscribers to this app and it rewards customers with great sums of wealth based on points they earn through the app. Killing someone gets you quite the amount of money :) So as the app keeps getting stronger and stronger as once you are connected it can access all your secrets and such that are stored on your computers and phones. It is quite cool and quite quite believable. Again in the author's notes JD explains how he came up with this idea and it was through a google search of Bathfitters and how every time after when logging on the ad bombs re bathfitters were constantly harassing them. I think we can all identify with this aspect. JD also mentions that many of the devices out there listen and that you give them permission too when you sign up for the app. Again so spot on. My wife and I laugh our asses off when Alexa pipes into our conversation relating to a subject or even better days later comments on the subject when we have long left it. What a world we live in.
So this novel imo is more of a thriller and a kind of cat and mouse game which is quite dangerous indeed. JD as always is just so good in keeping you in the dark and leading you here and there with so many twists and turns. He masterfully keeps you guessing and keeps you confused till the end. By the way the ending is just phenomenal indeed!! This novel is about 550 pages long and yet I read it in four days. It was that good! Also I think that was another reason it sat on my shelf a little to long, in that it's long but finally I can comment on the font and how it was to me normal size and not the small fonts of what seems to be the rage lately. Maybe it's a publishing thing in saving pages and lowering costs. Anyway mainly due to the pacing of the book plus the font plus the shorter chapters made it all so compelling to just read on.
This novel is just so different. So scary on what it's actually based on, the premise. Also as a former fraud detective I really enjoyed the backdrop. In a recent book I read the author made fun of fraud detectives stating it was where detective work started. A training ground. Let me assure you that all cops in truthfulness are so scared of frauds. They are just so complicated that most of us do not understand them and the fraud office where I finished is always fielding calls from everyone regarding hey wtf do I actually have here? Training grounds - yeah right. So JD's SEC investigative wing is very akin to that and I really respected that. He showed their work in a very straight forward way. This novel was right down my alley way but again anyone can keep up with what's going on here as its really a thriller. An easy five stars from me and way to come back JD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 24, 2023
This book is completely different from his other books I've read,the opening chapters was abit of a shocker which I didnt expect, wanting me to continue reading to find out what was going to happen next.Brendan and Abbey a married couple seeks a therapist as there marriage wasnt thrilling or exciting anymore,the therapist recommended an app to improve there sex life,it started of really well there marriage was back on track until the app was getting more and more dangerous will they continue following the instructions and who's behind this app..a great storyline the book was abit longer than it needed to be so my rating is 3.5 rounded to four.looking forward to reading more of his books.
June 20, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
Lo previsible de cosas muy importantes le ha restado la media estrella. Pero es un libro tan disfrutable como angustioso.
Lo previsible de cosas muy importantes le ha restado la media estrella. Pero es un libro tan disfrutable como angustioso.
April 18, 2025
5/5 �
"Cuando acorralas en un rincón incluso al más tímido de los animales, te atacará para sobrevivir"
WoW!!!! J.D.Barker lo ha vuelto a hacer!!!! Qué novela más bien hilada y con un tema de trasfondo absolutamente actual que va desde el thriller policíaco en algunos momentos a otros que te ponen los pelos absolutamente de punta con toques de terror por lo real que pudieran llegar a ser las situaciones que se plantea a lo largo de la historia.
Y aunque según la nota final del autor solo hace "literatura de palomitas" sin pretender una enseñanza, os aseguro que cuando acabas de leer la novela te preguntas muchas cosas respecto hasta dónde somos capaces de llegar y hasta dónde permitimos a la tecnología entrar en nuestras vidas.
La vida de Abby y Brendan podría ser la de cualquier matrimonio que lleva unos años casados y ha caído en la rutina. Para poner remedio acuden a terapia y allí les informan sobre la instalación de una app de moda "Sugar & Spice" que les ayudará a solventar sus problemas conyugales mediante una serie de acciones que están muy relacionadas con el juego de verdad o reto y que está causando furor por sus éxitos.
A partir de ahí entramos en una espiral totalmente agónica y delirante que lleva a la pareja a extremos nunca imaginados.
Y aunque vislumbré parte del final y en algún momento dado me pareció que se ralentizaba la resolución no le quito ni un ápice de puntuación por lo bien ejecutada que está y porque el autor es un total maestro incluyendo los giros necesarios en los mejores momentos para no poder parar de leer.
Una novela absolutamente recomendable para los amantes del género del thriller!!!
"Cuando acorralas en un rincón incluso al más tímido de los animales, te atacará para sobrevivir"
WoW!!!! J.D.Barker lo ha vuelto a hacer!!!! Qué novela más bien hilada y con un tema de trasfondo absolutamente actual que va desde el thriller policíaco en algunos momentos a otros que te ponen los pelos absolutamente de punta con toques de terror por lo real que pudieran llegar a ser las situaciones que se plantea a lo largo de la historia.
Y aunque según la nota final del autor solo hace "literatura de palomitas" sin pretender una enseñanza, os aseguro que cuando acabas de leer la novela te preguntas muchas cosas respecto hasta dónde somos capaces de llegar y hasta dónde permitimos a la tecnología entrar en nuestras vidas.
La vida de Abby y Brendan podría ser la de cualquier matrimonio que lleva unos años casados y ha caído en la rutina. Para poner remedio acuden a terapia y allí les informan sobre la instalación de una app de moda "Sugar & Spice" que les ayudará a solventar sus problemas conyugales mediante una serie de acciones que están muy relacionadas con el juego de verdad o reto y que está causando furor por sus éxitos.
A partir de ahí entramos en una espiral totalmente agónica y delirante que lleva a la pareja a extremos nunca imaginados.
Y aunque vislumbré parte del final y en algún momento dado me pareció que se ralentizaba la resolución no le quito ni un ápice de puntuación por lo bien ejecutada que está y porque el autor es un total maestro incluyendo los giros necesarios en los mejores momentos para no poder parar de leer.
Una novela absolutamente recomendable para los amantes del género del thriller!!!
October 25, 2023
What did I just read????
You know you see people saying this all of the time, right?! Well, I’m a little dumbfounded. I slept on my review and this morning I woke up thinking differently than when I went to sleep. Sorry.
EVERYONE KNOWS The Fourth Monkey trilogy. I mean�. that 3rd one, The Sixth Wicked Child is in my top 10 books ever read. A masterpiece to an ending. Unfortunately, this isn’t his best work. However, if you love lots of action, you will love this.
***The Story***
Abby and Brendan have been married some years. With that being said, they seek outside help from a therapist. Their therapist suggests they download an app called Sugar and Spice. We will call it a ‘truth or dare� type game. The app is the number one download across the country. So it must be good right?
At first I thought this was just going to be a S&M type thing. YEP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT. Which felt pretty weird for Barker. Then it became so much more. Not only are they playing, a billion other people are too. What do they win? Loads of money or meet their demise. DEATH 😳
To really enjoy this, you’ve got to think conspiracy theories and anything goes. Highly unbelievable. A crazy wild ride for sure. There wasn’t anything special about the writing, which I know he can do extremely well. The story was an action cat and mouse game through most of it. This just wasn’t my cup of tea. But on a side note�.. this is being made into a motion picture�.. so what do I know eh?
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Hampton Creek Press, and J.D Barker for a copy. All opinions are my own. Publication date May 6th 2024
3.5 ⭐️
You know you see people saying this all of the time, right?! Well, I’m a little dumbfounded. I slept on my review and this morning I woke up thinking differently than when I went to sleep. Sorry.
EVERYONE KNOWS The Fourth Monkey trilogy. I mean�. that 3rd one, The Sixth Wicked Child is in my top 10 books ever read. A masterpiece to an ending. Unfortunately, this isn’t his best work. However, if you love lots of action, you will love this.
***The Story***
Abby and Brendan have been married some years. With that being said, they seek outside help from a therapist. Their therapist suggests they download an app called Sugar and Spice. We will call it a ‘truth or dare� type game. The app is the number one download across the country. So it must be good right?
At first I thought this was just going to be a S&M type thing. YEP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT. Which felt pretty weird for Barker. Then it became so much more. Not only are they playing, a billion other people are too. What do they win? Loads of money or meet their demise. DEATH 😳
To really enjoy this, you’ve got to think conspiracy theories and anything goes. Highly unbelievable. A crazy wild ride for sure. There wasn’t anything special about the writing, which I know he can do extremely well. The story was an action cat and mouse game through most of it. This just wasn’t my cup of tea. But on a side note�.. this is being made into a motion picture�.. so what do I know eh?
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Hampton Creek Press, and J.D Barker for a copy. All opinions are my own. Publication date May 6th 2024
3.5 ⭐️
July 22, 2024
Menudo enganche!! Empieza muy fuerte y tienes ganas de seguir leyendo.
Me ha parecido una historia original y que realmente me ha puesto los pelos de punta 🤯. Todos usamos el teléfono y nos descargamos apps, miramos webs y damos permisos sin leer la letra pequeña�
No tiene nada que ver con sus anteriores novelas, es fuerte pero no como El cuarto mono y no tan psicológico como Los crímenes de la carretera, El último juego creo que es el que se asemeja por el tipo de thriller.
Los protagonistas se descargan una app 📱 para mejorar su relación y sus relaciones sexuales pero no es una app cualquiera y pronto se darán cuenta� 🫢
La acción no se detiene en ningún momento y, aunque en un momento he pensado que esto se estaba alargando demasiado, justo entonces ha empezado a resolverse. Si es verdad, que había adivinado un poco el final, pero aún así ha logrado sorprenderme mucho!!! OMG 🤯🤯🤯🤯 EL FINAL 😳.
Sin duda, este autor consigue unas historias que enganchan al lector y que hacen cuestionarse muchas cosas. ¿Hasta qué punto la tecnología domina nuestras vidas? 🔥🔥🔥
Me ha parecido una historia original y que realmente me ha puesto los pelos de punta 🤯. Todos usamos el teléfono y nos descargamos apps, miramos webs y damos permisos sin leer la letra pequeña�
No tiene nada que ver con sus anteriores novelas, es fuerte pero no como El cuarto mono y no tan psicológico como Los crímenes de la carretera, El último juego creo que es el que se asemeja por el tipo de thriller.
Los protagonistas se descargan una app 📱 para mejorar su relación y sus relaciones sexuales pero no es una app cualquiera y pronto se darán cuenta� 🫢
La acción no se detiene en ningún momento y, aunque en un momento he pensado que esto se estaba alargando demasiado, justo entonces ha empezado a resolverse. Si es verdad, que había adivinado un poco el final, pero aún así ha logrado sorprenderme mucho!!! OMG 🤯🤯🤯🤯 EL FINAL 😳.
Sin duda, este autor consigue unas historias que enganchan al lector y que hacen cuestionarse muchas cosas. ¿Hasta qué punto la tecnología domina nuestras vidas? 🔥🔥🔥
July 10, 2024
Un thriller con muchísima acción. Frenético.
La aburrida vida de la pareja protagonista sufre un vuelco cuando, movidos por sus crecientes problemas matrimoniales, deciden visitar a una terapeuta. Esta les anima a instalar una app que simula el juego "verdad o reto" pero con evidentes connotaciones sexuales: Sugar & Spice.
Lo que empezó como una terapia matrimonial se convierte en una delirante huída hacia adelante perseguidos por una pareja bastante trastornada de jugadores de la app.
Lo que hay detrás de Sugar & Spice es mucho más terrorífico de lo que los protagonistas pudieran llegar a imaginar. Y cómo salir de ese infierno se convertirá en su única motivación.
Rápido, electrizante y con bastante "spice". Se lee fácil y te enganchará.
La aburrida vida de la pareja protagonista sufre un vuelco cuando, movidos por sus crecientes problemas matrimoniales, deciden visitar a una terapeuta. Esta les anima a instalar una app que simula el juego "verdad o reto" pero con evidentes connotaciones sexuales: Sugar & Spice.
Lo que empezó como una terapia matrimonial se convierte en una delirante huída hacia adelante perseguidos por una pareja bastante trastornada de jugadores de la app.
Lo que hay detrás de Sugar & Spice es mucho más terrorífico de lo que los protagonistas pudieran llegar a imaginar. Y cómo salir de ese infierno se convertirá en su única motivación.
Rápido, electrizante y con bastante "spice". Se lee fácil y te enganchará.
October 3, 2024
audio: 4 stars
plot: 4.5 stars
overall: 4.5 stars rounded up
Mr. Barker where have you been all my life??? That one was of the most entertaining and stressful thrillers I have read in a long time!
This book is like if spicy truth or dare had a baby with Black Mirror and I loved it! Essentially, it's about a couple who download an app called sugar and spice to try and spice up their marriage, and with every new sugar or spice they choose, it just spirals into madness as truths are revealed and secrets are uncovered about the nature of that app 👀
Some important takeaways from this book:
- we should REALLY read the terms and conditions before clicking I agree👀
- I should probably make my passwords stronger😅
- technology is scary, but humans are scarier💀
If were I able to, I would have binged this audiobook in a day, it was that good! But, sigh, life got in the way😅 I loved the plot, the characters were entertaining and smart and ending was great.
Also just found out this will be a movie and omg it would make an EXCELLENT movie!
Will definitely be reading more from this author!
plot: 4.5 stars
overall: 4.5 stars rounded up
Mr. Barker where have you been all my life??? That one was of the most entertaining and stressful thrillers I have read in a long time!
This book is like if spicy truth or dare had a baby with Black Mirror and I loved it! Essentially, it's about a couple who download an app called sugar and spice to try and spice up their marriage, and with every new sugar or spice they choose, it just spirals into madness as truths are revealed and secrets are uncovered about the nature of that app 👀
Some important takeaways from this book:
- we should REALLY read the terms and conditions before clicking I agree👀
- I should probably make my passwords stronger😅
- technology is scary, but humans are scarier💀
If were I able to, I would have binged this audiobook in a day, it was that good! But, sigh, life got in the way😅 I loved the plot, the characters were entertaining and smart and ending was great.
Also just found out this will be a movie and omg it would make an EXCELLENT movie!
Will definitely be reading more from this author!
June 19, 2024
4.5 ⭐️. Wow what an intense, sometimes anxiety, driven ride. I love Barker books and this one did not disappoint. It’s much different than his other books, but just as good. Some parts were graphic that I started making puking noises 😆 Way to go Abby! ♥️🖤 I will be there when the movie comes out 🎥
April 16, 2024
The Read Now section of Netgalley sometimes hides really great books and this is one of them. I must admit I was not familiar with this author - and I don't know why but I will put him on my always growing list of 'authors I want to read more of'.
You can never know what's going on behind the closed doors of your family and friends, but Barker shows us that sometimes you just don't want to know...
Brendan and Abby download an app that will change their lives forever, and not only their lives... but the lives of billions of people. I've read other books about apps that are not all what they seem, but this is the most creepy one.
What I liked most about the book is that the plot is very complicated but there are no loose ends and I never saw the ending coming.
And yes, there's a lot of violence of the most horrific kind in this book, but the way this is intertwined with the other plot that has to do with money is very skilfully done.
I loved the way Abby and Brendan interacted and how their characters grew and I never ever would have guessed who the real culprit was.
I will for sure try and read more books of this author soon.
So, thank you Hampton Creek Press and Netgalley for making this title available for review.
You can never know what's going on behind the closed doors of your family and friends, but Barker shows us that sometimes you just don't want to know...
Brendan and Abby download an app that will change their lives forever, and not only their lives... but the lives of billions of people. I've read other books about apps that are not all what they seem, but this is the most creepy one.
What I liked most about the book is that the plot is very complicated but there are no loose ends and I never saw the ending coming.
And yes, there's a lot of violence of the most horrific kind in this book, but the way this is intertwined with the other plot that has to do with money is very skilfully done.
I loved the way Abby and Brendan interacted and how their characters grew and I never ever would have guessed who the real culprit was.
I will for sure try and read more books of this author soon.
So, thank you Hampton Creek Press and Netgalley for making this title available for review.
May 13, 2024
many thanks to Netgally for giving me an ARC of this book to read and review. its my first ARC review.
Not every mystery and crime novel needs a cop or a agent or a hero, sometimes hero comes out from the people around us and the simple characters we met in our way to reach some common goal.
that is what happens in this new and brilliant book by JD Barker.
I always excited to read and explore new and old works of authors i love to read without having a second thought and Mr Barker is one them. and he never disappoints when it comes to soul thrilling stories with ordinary people in it.
a very intense , thought provoking , keep wanting you to ask for more from this other side of this author, we have never seen before.
characters are so much like the people you meet daily in your lives, most of them are insecure and struggles in daily life to find a way to carry out their lives with a purpose.Glad to see that in first few chapters both couples did not commit anything which could cause a stir.
i won't stop thinking about characters in this book and how they grew on me.
Mr Barker developed every character in this book very thoughtfully and in way that you will love them and remember them.
He developed them with a purpose and deep consciousness. A great mystery subtlety unfolding itself behind a closed door or should i say turning the wheels of another story unfolding another story itself.
tension building in this story is of just another level.
when you are at mid point of the book you feel its going to end, cause of much action and thrilling situations, and you wonder how this story gonna make it up to at least 90%, if not 100%.
bad guys turning in to hero, bad guys come to save the day thing, very unpredictable.
this book is totally fun and exciting and left you satisfied with every thing you will wish to happen.
Not every mystery and crime novel needs a cop or a agent or a hero, sometimes hero comes out from the people around us and the simple characters we met in our way to reach some common goal.
that is what happens in this new and brilliant book by JD Barker.
I always excited to read and explore new and old works of authors i love to read without having a second thought and Mr Barker is one them. and he never disappoints when it comes to soul thrilling stories with ordinary people in it.
a very intense , thought provoking , keep wanting you to ask for more from this other side of this author, we have never seen before.
characters are so much like the people you meet daily in your lives, most of them are insecure and struggles in daily life to find a way to carry out their lives with a purpose.Glad to see that in first few chapters both couples did not commit anything which could cause a stir.
i won't stop thinking about characters in this book and how they grew on me.
Mr Barker developed every character in this book very thoughtfully and in way that you will love them and remember them.
He developed them with a purpose and deep consciousness. A great mystery subtlety unfolding itself behind a closed door or should i say turning the wheels of another story unfolding another story itself.
tension building in this story is of just another level.
when you are at mid point of the book you feel its going to end, cause of much action and thrilling situations, and you wonder how this story gonna make it up to at least 90%, if not 100%.
bad guys turning in to hero, bad guys come to save the day thing, very unpredictable.
this book is totally fun and exciting and left you satisfied with every thing you will wish to happen.
June 27, 2024
La primera parte del libro me ha tenido muy enganchada. Una especie de “verdad o prueba� en temas sexuales. La historia se complica y enreda, enganchando bastante.
La segunda parte se convierte en un pelicula de acción un poco fantasiosa. Una persecución contrareloj por salvarse o cumplir objetivos. Algunas partes predecibles, otras poco creibles.
Esta muy bien escrito el libro y me he lo he pasado bien pese a los pequeños “peros�
La segunda parte se convierte en un pelicula de acción un poco fantasiosa. Una persecución contrareloj por salvarse o cumplir objetivos. Algunas partes predecibles, otras poco creibles.
Esta muy bien escrito el libro y me he lo he pasado bien pese a los pequeños “peros�
November 21, 2023
Behind a Closed Door is the latest thriller by J.D. Barker and is a bit of a different twist than his usual cop chases serial killer fare. Here, he takes an ordinary suburban couple, Brendan and Abby Hollander, who are busy dealing with the usual work-life balance and suspicions of cheating and thrusts them headfirst into a high stakes game.
Indeed, their troubles begin with the downloading of a sexy-game application to their cellphones called Sugar and Spice, sort of the adult version of Truth or Dare, and one thing leads to another and their lives spin out of control as they realize they have granted permissions for the app to fully access everything from bank accounts to photos and that there are others playing the game, trying to earn their way up the ladder to gold or platinum status. Points are awarded for completing tasks and the tasks are far more risque than one might imagine, leaving one open for blackmail and embarrassment and social media shame.
But that’s only the beginning of the challenge which takes the young couple far out of their comfort zone and into a game where they are manipulated and blamed for numerous deaths, shootings, and the like. With other players after them as well as half the state’s law enforcement, they have to figure their way out of their dilemma.
This is one of those novels where you want to put it down, but can’t. And there is a movie in the works.
Indeed, their troubles begin with the downloading of a sexy-game application to their cellphones called Sugar and Spice, sort of the adult version of Truth or Dare, and one thing leads to another and their lives spin out of control as they realize they have granted permissions for the app to fully access everything from bank accounts to photos and that there are others playing the game, trying to earn their way up the ladder to gold or platinum status. Points are awarded for completing tasks and the tasks are far more risque than one might imagine, leaving one open for blackmail and embarrassment and social media shame.
But that’s only the beginning of the challenge which takes the young couple far out of their comfort zone and into a game where they are manipulated and blamed for numerous deaths, shootings, and the like. With other players after them as well as half the state’s law enforcement, they have to figure their way out of their dilemma.
This is one of those novels where you want to put it down, but can’t. And there is a movie in the works.
January 25, 2024
Absolutely horrendous.
May 25, 2024
utterly, genuinely, honestly, the most unhinged thing I've read (since I was expecting dark romance and ended up with the most nonsensical thriller)
I don't know where to start so let's just go through my updates throughout reading the whole thing (I almost didn't, but it was too funny and horrifying to stop)
3% possible homophobic slur + homophobic comment after her friend mentions going to McDonald's ("should I be concerned?")🤨 + cringe couple nicknames (Schmoopy? Papi Chulo??)🤕
5% oh here's a new couple's POV while they're holding an older couple at gunpoint to force them to have sex in front of them🤠
9% "They were standing outside Victoria's Secret, looking in like patrons at a zoo exhibit." + "They put all these frilly unmentionables out on full display, get you all worked up, feeling like a pedophile at Disney."🤯
13% realization this is not dark romance 🤡
31% her BFF is the worst friend ever?? the first time girl 2 accepted a dare from the app girl 1 uses, a dare about grape fantasy, which led to miss girl being graped 🚔🚨 and now she accepted one about killing someone ☠️🤨‼️ sorrows, prayers and therapy seriously get better friends 🙏
72% my epiphanic 'Written by a man' moment : "She had tiny feet, size seven on a good day." Of course I, too, have tiny feet on good days and longer feet on bad days. women are such mythical creatures✨️💖🌷🪷💖🎀🩷💫
75% if my potential murderer nicknamed me Skinny Bitch I'd be elated actually
90% so many skipped chapters I ain't reading all that "I'm here and I escape "we're here and people try to kill us but we survive" "we're going there"
99% had 1 smart "didn't expect that" moment, the rest was only suffering (2 stars because the writing was not that bad)
BOOK JAIL ⛓️🚔🚨‼️
[arc review, honest opinion]
I don't know where to start so let's just go through my updates throughout reading the whole thing (I almost didn't, but it was too funny and horrifying to stop)
3% possible homophobic slur + homophobic comment after her friend mentions going to McDonald's ("should I be concerned?")🤨 + cringe couple nicknames (Schmoopy? Papi Chulo??)🤕
5% oh here's a new couple's POV while they're holding an older couple at gunpoint to force them to have sex in front of them🤠
9% "They were standing outside Victoria's Secret, looking in like patrons at a zoo exhibit." + "They put all these frilly unmentionables out on full display, get you all worked up, feeling like a pedophile at Disney."🤯
13% realization this is not dark romance 🤡
31% her BFF is the worst friend ever?? the first time girl 2 accepted a dare from the app girl 1 uses, a dare about grape fantasy, which led to miss girl being graped 🚔🚨 and now she accepted one about killing someone ☠️🤨‼️ sorrows, prayers and therapy seriously get better friends 🙏
72% my epiphanic 'Written by a man' moment : "She had tiny feet, size seven on a good day." Of course I, too, have tiny feet on good days and longer feet on bad days. women are such mythical creatures✨️💖🌷🪷💖🎀🩷💫
75% if my potential murderer nicknamed me Skinny Bitch I'd be elated actually
90% so many skipped chapters I ain't reading all that "I'm here and I escape "we're here and people try to kill us but we survive" "we're going there"
99% had 1 smart "didn't expect that" moment, the rest was only suffering (2 stars because the writing was not that bad)
BOOK JAIL ⛓️🚔🚨‼️
[arc review, honest opinion]
August 26, 2024
No leía a J.D Barker desde su trilogía de El cuarto mono, y wow, este nuevo libro sí que ha sido para mí.
Supongo que dada la fama de los anteriores, es importante advertir que si buscas algo parecido a lo anterior, ya puedes dejar de leer esta reseña, y este libro.
J.D Barker nos sorprende en esta ocasión con una idea innovadora en el género: toda la trama gira en torno a una aplicación para reavivar parejas, que nuestrxs protagonistas, Abby y Brendan, descargan para huir de la monotonía en su relación. La app es algo parecido al juego de verdad o reto de cuando éramos adolescentes, pero mucho más erótica y maligna.
Al principio fue muy raro leer esta historia, porque hasta la página 130 aprox parece novela erótica más que un thriller, sin embargo, esa primera parte, también se me hizo interesante, porque ya de entrada empiezas a sospechar que con esa premisa nada puede salir bien. A partir de la página 130 fue un no para de acción, capítulos cortos que iban sucediéndose sin que me diera cuenta, porque iniciaba cada vez más asuntos y detalles sospechosos. Cuando dejaba de leer, seguía pensando en el libro.
Si bien es cierto que no es el tipo de narración a la que nos tiene acostumbradxs Barker, yo he disfrutado mucho esta nueva ida de olla, y es más por eso, que por su calidad literaria, que ojo, sigue estando a la altura, por lo que le doy 5 estrellas.
Si quieres un thriller en el que no puedas dejar de pensar, y con el que puedas vivir una historia realmente envolvente, este es tu libro.
Supongo que dada la fama de los anteriores, es importante advertir que si buscas algo parecido a lo anterior, ya puedes dejar de leer esta reseña, y este libro.
J.D Barker nos sorprende en esta ocasión con una idea innovadora en el género: toda la trama gira en torno a una aplicación para reavivar parejas, que nuestrxs protagonistas, Abby y Brendan, descargan para huir de la monotonía en su relación. La app es algo parecido al juego de verdad o reto de cuando éramos adolescentes, pero mucho más erótica y maligna.
Al principio fue muy raro leer esta historia, porque hasta la página 130 aprox parece novela erótica más que un thriller, sin embargo, esa primera parte, también se me hizo interesante, porque ya de entrada empiezas a sospechar que con esa premisa nada puede salir bien. A partir de la página 130 fue un no para de acción, capítulos cortos que iban sucediéndose sin que me diera cuenta, porque iniciaba cada vez más asuntos y detalles sospechosos. Cuando dejaba de leer, seguía pensando en el libro.
Si bien es cierto que no es el tipo de narración a la que nos tiene acostumbradxs Barker, yo he disfrutado mucho esta nueva ida de olla, y es más por eso, que por su calidad literaria, que ojo, sigue estando a la altura, por lo que le doy 5 estrellas.
Si quieres un thriller en el que no puedas dejar de pensar, y con el que puedas vivir una historia realmente envolvente, este es tu libro.
April 7, 2024
I've read a couple of J.D. Barker's books. I enjoyed the suspense, the colourful characters and fast-paced action, so when I saw this title on NetGalley, I immediately requested it, hoping it would get me out of a reading slump.
In Behind a Closed Door, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is on the rocks. They enlist the aid of a therapist, who suggests that they try the highly popular Sugar and Spice AP to try and rekindle the passion in their marriage.
What follows is a raunchy ride: "antics" in elevators, bathrooms in high class restaurants, masked clandestine rendezvous - and this is just the tip of the iceberg!
I won't go into any more details because it would spoil the adventure, but that explosive ending and the epilogue were well worth the constantly twisting ride. I will say this: Abby, the aspiring novelist in this story, is such a versatile badass!
For those who like a bit of "spice" in their suspense/action genre reading: this one's for YOU! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In Behind a Closed Door, Abby and Brendan Hollander's marriage is on the rocks. They enlist the aid of a therapist, who suggests that they try the highly popular Sugar and Spice AP to try and rekindle the passion in their marriage.
What follows is a raunchy ride: "antics" in elevators, bathrooms in high class restaurants, masked clandestine rendezvous - and this is just the tip of the iceberg!
I won't go into any more details because it would spoil the adventure, but that explosive ending and the epilogue were well worth the constantly twisting ride. I will say this: Abby, the aspiring novelist in this story, is such a versatile badass!
For those who like a bit of "spice" in their suspense/action genre reading: this one's for YOU! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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