The Dilemma

Livia is planning her 40th birthday party while carrying a secret she's kept from her husband Adam. Meanwhile, Adam has his own devastating secret he feels compelled to withhold from Livia until after her milestone celebration. The narrative takes place over a 24-hour period leading up to Livia's party, alternating between Adam and Livia's perspectives as they each grapple with their choices. Their teenage children, Josh and Marnie, become wrapped up in the building tension as the party approaches. The story explores the complexities of marriage, truth, and the weight of unspoken burdens. Through its examination of moral choices and their consequences, The Dilemma raises questions about when protecting loved ones might do more harm than good.

Readers found the book tense but slower-paced than Paris's previous novels. Many called it more of a family drama than the psychological thriller they expected. Positive reviews noted: - Complex moral choices that made readers question what they would do - Multiple viewpoint narrative that built suspense - Strong portrayal of marriage and relationship dynamics - Emotional impact of the ending Common criticisms: - Too much repetition of internal monologues - Plot moves slowly with limited action - Characters make frustrating decisions - Several readers said they wanted to "shake the main characters" - The big secret feels obvious early on Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (55,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (9,800+ ratings) Book of the Month Club readers: 3.5/5 One frequent reader comment summed it up: "A slow-burn domestic drama marketed as a thriller. Good writing but not what I expected from this author."

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough This psychological thriller follows a woman who becomes entangled with a married couple, leading to dark secrets and a mind-bending conclusion.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides A criminal psychotherapist works with a woman who shot her husband and hasn't spoken since, unraveling a complex web of truth and deception.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen The story of a marriage's collapse reveals multiple perspectives and shifting realities that challenge assumptions about victims and perpetrators.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney A woman lies in a coma, unable to move but aware of visitors, as she pieces together the events that led to her accident through past and present timelines.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell A inheritance of a London mansion forces a woman to confront the dark history of her childhood home and the mysterious deaths that occurred there.

🔹 B.A. Paris wrote The Dilemma while dealing with a serious illness, which influenced the emotional depth of the story and its themes of mortality and time. 🔹 The author drew inspiration for the novel from a real-life situation where she had to decide whether to tell her husband bad news during their daughter's wedding celebration. 🔹 The Dilemma was released in 2020, marking Paris's fifth psychological thriller, following her breakthrough debut Behind Closed Doors (2016). 🔹 The novel unfolds over a 24-hour period, using dual narratives from both husband and wife to create mounting tension as each character wrestles with life-changing secrets. 🔹 B.A. Paris spent most of her adult life in France working as a teacher before beginning her writing career in her fifties, proving it's never too late to pursue a creative passion.