First published 2021
Jessica works as a theater makeup artist, but her paycheck barely covers her expenses. At nearly thirty, she struggles to support herself and help her parents financially. When she discovers that renowned psychiatrist Dr. Shields is recruiting participants for a paid research study, Jessica sees an opportunity to earn some much-needed money. She expects to fill out questionnaires and collect her payment. Instead, Dr. Shields begins making increasingly personal and intrusive requests that leave Jessica deeply uncomfortable. What started as a simple transaction becomes something far more disturbing. The boundaries between researcher and subject blur as Jessica finds herself trapped in psychological games she never agreed to play. The study forces her to question everything she believes about herself and the people around her.
Genres: suspense, contemporary, thriller, psychological-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: psychological-manipulation, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Theater
Period: 21st-century
568 pages · Paperback · Gabelire
Content warnings: medical-trauma