If you’re a long-time B.A. Paris devotee like I am, you know the drill: you open the first page and prepare for your heart rate to stay strictly above 100 bpm until you finish. Her latest, “When I Kill You,” is no exception, but it’s definitely a different flavor of psychological thriller than her previous hits.
Here’s the lowdown on why this “then and now” story is going to have you double-checking your locks tonight.
Can You Ever Really Escape?
The core of this book is a question we’ve all asked ourselves after a bad breakup or a massive mistake: Can you ever truly leave the past behind? The story dances between two timelines, weaving a web around the idea of trust. It’s one of those books where you’re constantly squinting at every character, trying to figure out who is the predator and who is the prey. But here is the weird part (and this is coming from a huge B.A. Paris fan) I didn’t particularly like or dislike anyone.
Usually, I’m firmly rooting for a protagonist or screaming at a villain, but in both timelines here, the characters felt… distant. Surprisingly, though, that didn’t ruin the book for me! It actually made the mystery feel more clinical and chilling, like I was watching a slow-motion car crash where I couldn’t look away.
The Stealthy Nature of Obsession
What B.A. Paris does brilliantly in this novel is map out the anatomy of obsession.
It’s not always a grand, cinematic stalker moment. Instead, she shows how obsession infiltrates the tiny, “little” parts of your life, a phone call here, a look there, until it becomes the air you breathe. It shows how a seed planted “then” can grow into a forest that traps you “now.” It’s a sobering look at how one person’s fixation can ripple through decades.
The Verdict on the Twist: I usually pride myself on sniffing out the “bad guy” by the halfway mark. Not this time. I was so caught up in the atmosphere that I hadn’t actually worked out who we should have been most concerned about until the answer was practically waved in my face. It’s a total “hidden in plain sight” reveal.
Is It Worth the Read?
Absolutely. Even if the characters don’t become your new best friends, the plot is a masterclass in tension. It’s a solid reminder that while we might be finished with the past, the past isn’t always finished with us.
If you want a book that makes you question the motives of everyone from your neighbor to your spouse, put this at the top of your pile.
When I Kill You is out on 12 March 2026
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