“Behind Closed Doors” by B A Paris is easily one of my favorite thrillers, which is why I didn’t think twice about “Bring Me Back”. It was a complete page-turner from the get go.
The first day Layla arrives in London she meets Finn at a New Year’s Eve party. The minute Finn lays eyes on Layla; he’s completely mesmerized by her beauty. And before they knew it, they were madly in love with each other. Moved into a quaint small town near London, creating their own little bubble.
The sun has set, the sky gets darker and the roads empty. Driving back home from a ski trip in France, Finn makes a quick stop at a deserted, ghostly restroom, promising Layla he will be right back. As he hurries back, he sees Layla is not in the car or anywhere around the pit stop area. He runs frantically around screaming her name and the only response he gets is static from the dead of the night. It was almost like Layla disappeared into thin air. Poof!
“But there is only silence, and the dust of hopes never fulfilled, taunting me with what could have been, if only I'd acted differently.”
12 years later, leaving Layla’s fond memories behind, Finn has finally moved on with Layla’s sister, Ellen. Living in charming cottage in Cotswold Village. As they go by their mundane routines, Finn one day finds a Russian doll at his door. When Ellen sees the dolls she’s sure it’s the same one Layla took from her when they were children. As over the next few days more of these dolls started appearing, once the initial shock of it fades away, the dolls start to make them distraught and edgy; because the only people who knew the significance of the Russian dolls are Finn, Ellen and Layla.
“It’s more proof that Ellen never goes against what I tell her, never disobeys me, and although it makes for a peaceful life, I find it perplexing.”
Never thought Russian dolls would give me the creeps and at the same time would make me want a set of my own. Paris has a knack of getting into the psyche of young couples and bringing out the worst in them. Bring Me Back is a fast paced gripping story of love and the demons it brings out of you, the ones you didn’t know existed deep down.