The Therapist

Psychological thrillers include elements from traditional thrillers, such as a complex plot, mystery, suspense, and a gripping narrative. However, this subgenre of fiction differs in atmosphere, storytelling approach, and its intense focus on the inner world of one or more of the characters. Paris utilizes the tropes and expectations of the psychological thriller throughout The Therapist.

An atmosphere of mounting unease is one of the most distinctive features of the psychological thriller. Authors seek to create a mood of ambiguity and uncertainty that is disorienting for both readers and the protagonist. Alice’s experience in the Circle typifies this atmosphere, as she increasingly feels she cannot trust either her partner or her neighbors. Alice’s distrust borders on paranoia—another common theme of the genre. Her suspicious viewpoint is intensified by the mind games employed by the murderer, who further distorts her perception of reality.

While traditional thrillers are known for their fast-paced plot developments and action-packed sequences, psychological thrillers take a more nuanced approach to storytelling. Narratives build suspense subtly and gradually, relying on the slow reveal of information to create a menacing tone. The Therapist exemplifies this method, as minor domestic incidents—such as displaced items in Alice’s home— create a sinister backdrop to the mystery of Nina Maxwell’s murder.

A further staple feature of the psychological thriller genre is the inclusion of red herrings, which serve to misdirect the reader’s attention. For example, the gap in the missing panel in Alice’s garden fence leads her to suspect next-door neighbor Will of being the murderer. There are also dramatic plot twists that upend the entire narrative. Paris uses this technique in the revelation that Alice was the driver responsible for the deaths of her sister and parents. The unexpected disclosure also exposes Alice as an unreliable narrator—another common device of the genre. Unreliable narrators may be deliberately deceitful, or their perspective may be untrustworthy due to mental illness, amnesia, or (as in Alice’s case) the repression of traumatic events.

Traditional thrillers often feature archetypal characters who exist largely to drive the plot forward. By contrast, psychological thrillers typically provide an in-depth exploration of the thought processes, emotions, and internal conflicts of the protagonist. Alice’s first-person narration in The Therapist is a classic example of this technique. Readers view the events of the story through the lens of her viewpoint, which is by no means objective. A further frequent element of psychological thrillers is at least one character who harbors a dark secret. In Paris’s novel, Leo attempts to conceal a criminal past, while Alice’s traumatic history colors her perception of present circumstances. Her obsession with Nina Maxwell’s murder is fueled by the death of a sister who shared the same first name as the dead woman.

In addition to exploring the psyche of the protagonist, psychological thrillers analyze the mindset and motivations of the antagonist, revealing not only who committed the crime but why. In The Therapist, Paris satisfies this requirement in several ways. The novel’s Interludes, recounted from the first-person perspective of the therapist, provide an intimate insight into his thought processes. Meanwhile, Lorna’s account of her son’s behavior from childhood gives an overview of the murderer’s psychological development.