Thursday, August 07, 2014

Four books where psychiatrists take center stage

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Ellen Wehle tagged "four mind-bending books, in which therapists and the life of the mind take center stage," including:
The House on the Cliff, by Charlotte Williams

In shrink-as-detective #2, Jessica Mayhew has a successful therapy practice and a personal life that’s been in tatters ever since her husband confessed to a one-night stand. Enter hunky actor Gwydion Morgan, who comes to Jessica for treatment of a phobia I guarantee you’ve never heard of: koumpounophobia (really). Even though Jessica’s first rule is “Never get too involved with clients,” she’s attracted to Gwydion from the get-go. When she hears he may be suicidal, she makes a house call to the Morgan family home, a mansion perched on the bleak Welsh coast, despite her better judgment.

This is a great debut with plenty of humorous peeks “behind the curtain,” as Jessica reveals what therapists really think about their patients. I especially enjoyed seeing a mature woman tempted to have a fling with a younger man, since we see the opposite so much more often. Cougars, and cougar-appreciators, this one’s for you.
Read about another entry on the list.

The Page 69 Test: The House on the Cliff.

--Marshal Zeringue