The Breakdown is a suspense-filled psychological thriller about a woman who is slowly having a nervous breakdown brought on by a car that breaks down.

Playing on real fears and putting the reader inside the mind of a person living through those scenarios allows us to feel their confusion, experience their doubt, and understand their anguish. But, of course, we all know, there is something truly ominous brewing, and it is not clear who can be trusted, even Cass- or especially Cass. But of course things aren't always what they seem. As the title suggests, we do not know what goes on behind closed doors. Is Grace Angel an example of a woman who has it all? A perfect house, a perfect husband, the perfect life?The Breakdown'was, most of all, an addictive read. From the moment I started it, I couldn’t put it down. With each and every chapter I was more confused and more enthralled with everything. The fact that the story was fast-paced made me devour this thrilling read in one sitting. Cass’s story was filled with suspense from the first chapter, so yeah, the book definitely starts with a bang. I liked how the suspense aspect was blended with the psychological one. The suspense was fantastically done and I loved how it grew with each and every chapter. It held me at the edge of my seat as the story unfolded and the fact that our heroine wasn’t a reliable narrator made me love this story even more. The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. I will say, the author delivered with the ending. While slightly unbelievable, I would expect more of an investigation obviously, it made me like the story that much more. It was kind of clever the way Grace pulled it off. The fact that someone else knew what really happened, and how she figured it out, was an added bonus.

The Breakdown took a while to build up speed and tension. Obviously you know something will happen, but you don't know what or when. For a while, Cass' character really started grating on my nerves because she was just a sniveling mess, falling to pieces at the slightest thing, yet taking all sorts of risks. And then...BOOM. B.A. Paris throws in a twist which, while not utterly surprising, really turns the plot on its ear and sends the book careening to its conclusion. The other major theme is dementia. What a horrible realization it must be to discover you are, for all intents and purposes, losing your mind. If this insidious disease runs in your family, any tiny misplaced item or forgotten appointment could trigger alarm bells.This story highlights the fact that there are flaws lingering beneath all surfaces of perfection, and shows just one horrific example of what could really be going on behind closed doors. The story ends exactly like I expected and I liked that. In spite of that, I have to say the ending felt a little rushed. Everything was somehow too neat IMO. I would have liked to know more about some aspects in these characters’ lives and also the story to be longer. Also, IMO would have been better with more psychological elements…I know, I know…I’m greedy, but it's what I would have preferred. This book grabs you at the start. Is there anyone who hasn't been deathly afraid driving through a pounding rainstorm, hands gripping the wheel? And it's totally understandable that Cass doesn't stop when she comes across a car stopped along the side of the road, given the location, worries that it could be trap and the miserable weather. But the guilt compounds the next morning when she learns the woman in the car was later murdered. She keeps quiet, not telling either her husband or friends about what she did (or rather didn't do) for various reasons. And on top of the guilt is the worry about her faltering memory. Her mom died of early onset Alzheimer's at an age just 10 years above Cass’s own. Her sophomore novel, The Breakdown was immediately added to my TBR after I completed her debut, Behind Closed Doors. this is nothing like Gone Girl. it's nothing like The Girl on the Train. i'm not even sure this can be classified as psychological suspense, really. this is a straight-up thriller. and there ain't a thing in the world wrong with that, except when people like women's health start getting a little loosey goosey with their suggestions and ruining the reputation of readers' advisory for everybody.