Bath Haus

by P.J. Vernon

Nominated for a 34th annual Lambda Literary Award - A scintillating thriller with an emotional punch: "The tension builds to unbearably claustrophobic levels. To say more would rob readers of the 'no, he didn't' suspense that makes Bath Haus an unexpectedly twisted, heart-pounding cat-versus-mouse thriller (Los Angeles Times).

Oliver Park, a recovering addict from Indiana, finally has everything he ever wanted: sobriety and a loving, wealthy partner in Nathan, a prominent DC trauma surgeon. Despite their difference in age and disparate backgrounds, they've made a perfect life together. With everything to lose, Oliver shouldn't be visiting Haus, a gay bathhouse. But through the entrance he goes, and it's a line crossed. Inside, he follows a man into a private room, and it's the final line. Whatever happens next, Nathan can never know. But then, everything goes wrong, terribly wrong, and Oliver barely escapes with his life.

He races home in full-blown terror as the hand-shaped bruise grows dark on his neck. The truth will destroy Nathan and everything they have together, so Oliver does the thing he used to do so well: he lies.

What follows is a classic runaway-train narrative, full of the exquisite escalations, edge-of-your-seat thrills, and oh-my-god twists. P. J. Vernon's Bath Haus is perfect for readers curious for their next must-read novel.

Genres: Thriller, LGBT, Fiction, Mystery, Queer, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2021

About the author

P. J. Vernon was born in South Carolina and has been called “a name to watch in the thriller genre” (Booklist). Library Journal and Book Riot compare his acclaimed Gothic debut When You Find Me to Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. Vernon’s debut has sold in multiple countries, languages and formats. Vernon is represented by Aevitas Creative Management and United Talent Agency (film). He lives in Canada with his partner and two wily dogs.

Reviews

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

JUICY AF

Those are the first two words that come to mind after reading PJ Vernon's Bath Haus . For real, I binge read this within 24 hours. Which also means that I'll be in a reading slump for the foreseeable future. This was my first dabble into Vernon's works, but it most certainly be my last.

Oliver Park lives with partner, Dr. Nathan Klein—an affectionate, yet a bit controlling surgeon, in Washington DC. One night, while Nathan is traveling, Oliver decides to give in to temptation and visit a local bathhouse for some NSA fun. Oliver feels guilty, but at the same time has an uncanny need to fulfill this indiscretion. After meeting someone at Haus, Oliver is put in a predicament that will change his life forever. Narrowly escaping, Oliver's life is now in danger. Without going into anymore details, just know that indiscretions somehow find a way of revealing themselves.

First and foremost, congratulations to PJ Vernon for being able to write an unapologetically gay thriller in mainstream publishing. I absolutely loved this book, loved the characters, loved the steam, loved the f'd up characters—I just loved it all! A completely bingeable read, Vernon takes you on a journey of sex, drugs, and infidelity that will not be for the faint of heart. Vernon speaks to gay social culture in a way that felt self reflective for the community I resonate with. I truly enjoyed the mystery behind this mystery/thriller and it's my biggest hope that we will get more queer stories from this author. Hands down a contender for one of the top reads of the year.

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oliver is a recovering drug addict who finally has the happiness that always eluded him. Living with his boyfriend, a prestigious doctor named Nathan, things are looking great...until Oliver decides to feed his impulses and go to a gay bathhouse. He meets a stranger, they go to an empty room, and things don’t go according to plan...considering Oliver barely escapes with his life.

Oliver doesn’t want to throw his life away by telling Nathan the truth about what he was doing, so he lies and says he was mugged. The lies continue as Oliver realizes that he didn’t leave the danger back in the bathhouse. It has followed him home.

⚠OUTLIER ALERT⚠

Gay domestic thrillers are still pretty rare, and I was excited to read this one after all of the rave reviews. However, I didn’t love it. The writing itself is enticing, and the story is entertaining, but the characters are terrible. I couldn’t stand Oliver and Nathan - or any of their so-called friends. They were all stereotypical and vapid. It would be refreshing to read a gay-themed story where the players aren’t promiscuous, unfaithful, shallow, addicted to alcohol/drugs, and severely damaged. Unfortunately, the characters in this one are filled with the traits above.

The synopsis describes this as a “classic runaway-train narrative”. Next time, I’ll take the bus.

Many reviewers loved this one, so I definitely recommend reading other reviews if this one interests you. As for me, I can’t deny that I was highly entertained and wanted to know how the story would end, but I was hoping for something a bit more riveting...and maybe a bit more classy.

Now available.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Nilufer Ozmekik]

Happy pub day! I'm so intrigued by this one! Got my copy and cannot wait to get my hands on it!

[Frank Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, what a fantastic read this was!! As someone else I know that read this said, this was 'Juicy AF!' I might even go so far as to say this is my FAVORITE read of 2021! On so very many levels, this book spoke to me, and I felt an intimate connection to this story almost immediately. My life, or rather, my previous life, mirrored parts of Oliver Park's life and even though I didn't necessarily like the decisions he made, I fell in love with him as a character. Immediately, we are sucked into this tale of bad decisions and their aftermath as Oliver enters Haus, and the rest is history - this was a lightening fast read that I could not put down! If I were the type, I may have read this in one sitting! I'd recommend going into this knowing little to nothing about the plot, except that this is a dark, gritty, unnerving at times suspenseful thriller at its' best!! Oh yeah, and the richness of Vernon's prose is simply something that can't be missed! This writer has the goods to become a star, in my humble opinion! PHENOMENAL pride '21 read! I won't be the least bit surprised to see this on more than one of the GR's best of '21 lists!! Major caution to those with triggers, as this does deal with sadism, rape, and addiction.

[Silvia Moreno-Garcia]

In the early to mid 90s there was this genre I liked to call the 'From Hell Skinemax' movies. The babysitter... from hell. The tenant... from hell. I loved that stuff. One of my favourites was Single White Female, which is about the roommate from hell. I don't know if it was the lesbian overtones of that flick combined with the gorgeous yuppie apartment, but I must have watched that flick 500 times on Cinemax.

Anyway, when I heard about Bath Haus someone told me it was like Fatal Attraction (the one night stand... from hell) but gay, and I felt the same sense of giddiness I had when I was 14 and they showed Single White Female on the TV Guide (I'm old!). But, having been fooled once too many, would this book live up to my expectations or is the joy of such sub-genre a thing of my days past, much like acid wash jeans?

The answer is yes, it delivered but it also felt fresh. So my advice is that if you if you enjoy the 'from hell' narratives you get yourself this neat little book and perhaps pair it with The Servant by Robin Maugham, a 1940s novella about the servant... from hell. Because, why not.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone in this book is a cunt. 🤷🏻‍♀️
No one deserves a HEA.
I lowkey just wanted everyone to die as the ending? and felt disappointed that didn't happen?
There is lies, topped with lies, with added lies as a side with a tall cold glass of... you guessed it, MOTHERFUCKING LIES.
I have never hated a whole cast of characters so quickly in a book before, whilst also being WHOLEHEARTEDLY CAPTIVATED for every fucking second.
I hated Oliver and his snakey-ass woe is me attitude. What an absolute untitled word document.
I know abuse stretches further than physical, but my sympathy ran out on page 1 for this stupid wankstain.
And Nathan, nothing says ICK like god-tier levels of saviour complex. 🤮🤮🤮

I don't know how to put what that book was into words?

The writing literally put me into a state of shock, and even though I guessed some parts of it, I felt panty-wetting levels of thrill, that's for sure. HAHAHA.
🤭🤭🤭


Me if I was a fly on the wall in this book:



I felt I should add, I loved this book. Because even though, it had elements I despised with my whole soul, I couldn’t put it down, I couldn’t look away, I was hooked the whole fucking time and I think it surely has to be gripping writing to have subject and MC’s I hate but I couldn’t stop watching their demise? It was so freaking good!! 🤣💖

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bath Haus , P.J. Vernon's upcoming book, is a taut and twisty thriller about truth, trust, and the cost of secrets.

Oliver and Nathan have been together a while now. They have a solid, stable relationship, even though there is a difference in their ages and their income. Nathan is a successful surgeon from a wealthy family, while Oliver's upbringing in rural Indiana was quite the opposite.

One night while Nathan is out of town on business, Oliver decides to go to Haus, a gay bathhouse. He knows he shouldn’t do what he’s gone to do, he knows there’s a significant risk Nathan will find out, but he gives in to his urges. He goes with a handsome man into a private room, where things go completely awry, and Oliver has to fight for his life.

He is able to escape and runs out of Haus, afraid, shaken, with angry bruises already forming around his neck. He gets home and realizes he’s in a quandary—how can he explain this to Nathan? So he does the only thing he can think of: he lies.

“When it comes to lying, there’s a golden rule: tell as much truth as you can. The truth is, after all, the easiest to remember. It’s the most consistent with inarguable fact.”

What Oliver doesn’t realize is what a ripple effect his lies will have. More and more, he finds himself enmeshed in a game of cat and mouse, fearing for his life and his relationship and his future, but he doesn’t know whom to trust or what to expect next.

We’ve seen this scenario before but almost never with a gay couple, so that brought an added dimension to this terrific, tense thriller. There’s a lot at play here—issues of trust, communication, addiction, secrets, lies, infidelity—and it all makes this story so compelling.

I’ve seen a lot of people on Bookstagram rave about this, so I felt a little like the last gay in the village to get my hands on an ARC, but it definitely lived up to the hype. Congrats to Vernon on creating such a fantastic thriller, one I’ll definitely think about for a while!

NetGalley and Doubleday Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Bath Haus publishes 6/15.

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[mwana · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s harder to repeat mistakes when you keep bad memories close.

If I could grade this book, I'd give it an eff for effort.

As with every mystery/thriller, there's a question. In some of my favourite mystery TV shows I'll outline them. In The Undoing, who killed Elena? In Big Little Lies, who died at the party and why? In Sharp Objects, who is killing the young girls? In Bath Haus, what the fuck is the question.

The story starts with Oliver going to a bath house phonetically (and stupidly) named Bath Haus. Oliver slips off his not-a-wedding-ring and leaves his partner's car a few blocks over and walks into the sweaty establishment. I could feel the humidity wafting off the page. But not from the author's effort. I just have a very vivid imagination.

While there, Oliver gets the attention of a blue-eyed hot guy. What do his blue eyes have to do with anything? The author won't let you forget about them. Ice blue eyes. Ocean blue eyes. Who do you think you are? Mary Calmes? At least she writes odes to eye colour, this was just bullshit.

Kristian and Oliver are about to start having a good time when Kristian becomes a bit more... enthusiastic with his erotic asphyxiation. You'd think this would make the book intense but this scene barely lasts a few pages.

After this I was at a loss as to why I should keep reading. The book wasn't interested in any questions, really. No why did Kristian target Oliver. But we do suddenly get the information why. In a rather predictable and dour fashion because nobody was asking. Oliver never tries to investigate the attack to forfend it or something. He's the most passive survivor I've ever read. But that's not even the worst thing about him. Wanna know the worst thing about Oliver? Do you? Do you?!

Ok, here goes. His fucking metaphors.

After he receives a text from his attacker,

It’s fallen between two couch cushions where it came to rest when I threw it. Like it was a rattlesnake. If I’d held it a moment longer, I would have been bitten. Milky venom seeping inside my body from hypodermic fangs.

Holy simile.

Like the victim of a highly venomous snakebite.

Enough with the fucking snakes.

Inside, the noise doubles, triples. Ace of Base—the electronica drumbeat of a “Cruel Summer” remix pulses like a pink heartbeat.

As opposed to a yellow heartbeat? What the fuck is this supposed to mean?

As we plunge deeper into the bowels of Drinks with Tom™️ the voices grow sharper, like bedazzled kitchen knives.

Give me a fucking break.

Not only does it have such ghastly metaphors, it also has quality control issues. Now, I don't know whether this is something lost in translation and I'm missing something colloquial but Here, a birthday is the difference between no strings attached and the sex registry. Shouldn't it be sex offender* registry? nothing makes dope more bad than fentanyl. The word you're looking for is WORSE. More bad = worse. Fuck's sake.

There's also this bizarre repetitiveness that just... What the hell? fixing big things means breaking tiny things. or shit like the woman’s ability to endure heartbreak is, well, heartbreaking. Did Otessa Moshfegh edit this? There is a failure at profundity that is difficult to ignore.

When I got to 43%, my page of death, reader, this is when I realised I could not even. This was a buddy read with my friend Chris and I moaned so much about how aimless the book is I hope I haven't put her off another buddy read. It felt like a book just meandering along until it gets to the inevitable "twist" which I could predict a mile away. Ban dual fucking POV. Seriously, it ruins everything.

The book did have moments of writerly genius. Sudden bursts of great prose like shards of glass still glittering in the carpet after a vacuum went over the carnage. (see? I can write shitty metaphors too.) Perhaps this book could've benefited from brevity. There are moments that could pack a punch if the author had just left them alone instead of trying so hard for further meaning. There was nothing to extrapolate here. Stop. Just stop.

It seems fitting that I start 2022 with a book that perfectly encapsulates my 2021. Full of promise but just filler until the bad things unfold.

2.5 stars.

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. For me, this was a thriller that made no sense until the very end. What could have helped it along was an insightful look at a relationship with a deep power imbalance, but I never felt like that part of it came to life.

So far I have not seen a queer domestic thriller that really worked for me. Then again, most non-queer domestic thrillers don't really work for me. It's a tricky genre and for folks who like to read heavily in it, this will be a great entry. But for me, looking for just the best of it, it didn't give me what I'd hoped for. Domestic thrillers often involve the inherent inequality of patriarchy, but those issues don't only play out in non-queer relationships, and tension in a relationship can come from many sources. In that sense, Vernon makes a smart decision here to center his story around one of the classic gay pairings, the older successful man whose relationship with a younger man isn't just about an age gap, but power inequality particularly when there's a strong financial incentive for the younger man to stay. (It's not entirely clear how much younger Oliver is than Nathan, even if Oliver is still in his teens when they meet, Nathan was a resident still so would likely have been in his 20's.)

For me, the problem was that the bad guy, Kristian, who assaults Oliver at the beginning of the book, becomes the kind of villain who is so over the top that it doesn't make sense. And even if you suspect there may be a reason for it, you are stuck just waiting around for 95% of the book to see if you're right or if this book doesn't make any sense at all.

The relationship between Nathan and Oliver is deeply messed up, and that certainly is clear to the reader, but neither Nathan nor Oliver really spends much time thinking or considering it. It's unclear what they like about each other or why they're together, except that their relationship dynamic is set up to make it difficult to break up. I really wanted to have some character development with one or both of them, a realization of how unhealthy things were, some kind of progress. Without that I just got more frustrated with the rising Kristian plot, with this monster who has no seeming reason for what he's doing, and felt more and more like my preference was another book where the villain was Nathan, the truly awful boyfriend.

At least the ending addressed my frustrations, so at least there's that. Most of these thrillers can fall very flat at the end, I just didn't like how long I had to wait before it came together. I want it to be exciting all along the way.

Content warning for attempted rape, physical assault with sexual motivations, prescription drug abuse, and there is a pet in peril but it isn't hurt. There is not really a queer suffering issue here, though there is a whole lot of classism which I would hope you'd expect in a book with a lot of wealthy cis white gay men.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio - 4 Stars overall

Michael Crouch - 5 Stars
Daniel Henning - 3 Stars

Story - 4 Everybody in this story Sucks Stars

So, this was NOT a romance. It was messy and entertaining with a nice twist.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bath Haus is riveting: a gripping thriller about how quickly a life can unravel after a single bad decision. P.J. Vernon deftly reminds us that the terrifying traumas from childhood are often but a prelude to the nightmares we will walk into as adults. This book is stylish, smart, and scary as hell.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐ Gripping!

Edge of your seat nerves from the start. The suspense keeps me on my toes and I just can't put this book down! The story is told with alternating voices of each partner Oliver and Nathan. This is a domestic thriller.

Why does Oliver constantly make bad decisions? A recovering addict, Oliver couldn't resist the temptation and desire to have sex with another man. Knowing what he's about to do is wrong, he did it anyway! He goes to a gay bathhouse while his partner Nathan, an MD is out of town for a seminar. His encounter with a stranger at Haus changed his life forever.

Oh, I love this book! The characters are complexed with good backstories. The pace is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! It is steamy! ♨️ The only reason it isn't getting five stars is it's predictable, but that didn't ruin any enjoyment for me.

[nark · Rating 4 out of 5]

✦ a really good, suspenseful read. loved the fact that it's written in dual pov.
✦ i couldn't stop myself from reading this. i strongly believe that is what any good thriller should be able to accomplish - to make the reader unable to put it down until it's finished.
✦ highly recommend this book for anyone who likes suspenseful, twisty thrillers that keep you on your toes until the very end.

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Everything I am about to say is either in the book’s blurb or an observation. No spoilers here!**

This was fantastic. One of my new favorite thrillers! There was a sense of great unease woven throughout the book that never ceased. I felt like I was being watched. Definitely going into my top five favorites list for this year, without a doubt! I read it at lightning speed and I never once wanted to stop reading. I was even bummed out when it was nearing the end, never wanting to exit this wild ride.

Oliver went to a bathhouse called Haus to have anonymous sex while his partner, Nathan, was away for work. While he was there, a man tried to strangle him. I felt like I was in the scene when this happened. I was just as confused and off balance as Oliver, everything felt fuzzy and dream-like. Dulled at the edges. P.J.’s writing style is so easy to get completely lost in. It is all consuming in the best possible way. Certainly an author who understands the concept of showing instead of telling. Honestly I felt like I was a fly on the wall in every scene but that one in particular stood out to me because of how dream-like, fuzzy and surreal it felt.

There is a large power imbalance between Oliver and Nathan. Nathan has a savior complex. He is controlling and has a tight leash on Oliver. We got to hear from both Oliver and Nathan in dual POV’s in first person tense. This was the perfect choice that made everything feel all the more fraught with tension! No matter who’s POV I was reading, I always knew who it was because of how different both men are written. Too often I read books that have dual POV’s but it’s just the same person...twice. Not the case here!

Sex, drugs, infidelity. P.J. Vernon never stepped off the gas with this one. Exciting and entrancing from beginning to end. This twisted tale had me shocked and giddy. It’s hard to put into words how much I loved this!

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! What a thrilling ride! So tense, so chest tightening, so gripping, and so good! The story kept me hooked to the pages from the beginning to the end, and made me constantly sit on the edge of my seat.

I’m petrified, an inanimate extension of the chair I sit on. He raped my mind, plunged me into a darkness unlike, Christ, unlike anything imaginable. How do you, how does anyone make sense of this?

And that writing! This is how I like writing the most. Blunt, so incredibly straightforward in short sentences. And active, like I’m there and inside Oliver’s head (sometimes inside Nathan’s). And still so prosaic.

When something bad has sharp teeth in your heart, you’ve got a choice. Let those canines sink deeper and deeper until they kill you. Or tear free—and hurt like hell when pieces of flesh are left behind.

Bath Haus is a story to dive in without knowing much in advance. The first chapter is immediately f*cked up, and from that moment, the story is addictive until the very end!

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[Justin Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bath Haus includes all the gay mystery and mayhem a boy could want. Even better that it's set in the unfortunately all-too-familiar universe of hook-up apps, toxic in-laws, chronic gaslighting and bad relationships. The cast of suspects is tight and the motives numerous. A Gone Girl-like alternating point of view layers the intrigue. While the plot seemingly has more holes than a colander, an impressive effort is made to patch everything up in the end. I never fully understood the solution until the final pages -- a feat only the best mysteries pull off.

Despite the alluring cover and subject matter, this isn't a smutty book. Part of me is pleased to see content aimed for the gay community that isn't softcore porn. And yeah maybe I'm a little disappointed too LOL.

If you've ever longed for gay plots in your summer beach read thrillers, P.J. Vernon's got you covered! Enjoy :)

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't usually read thrillers, but I decided to read this one because of the high reviews. I wish I hadn't. The plot is a mess, the characters are poorly developed, and the ending is rushed and leaves so many threads hanging. I also predicted the major twist well before it was revealed. The author has a good vocabulary, but the writing is overwrought. This reads like the draft of a creative writing student's first attempt at a novel and it needed more editing. As for people praising the representation, I don't think these shallow, stereotypical, and flat characters provide the meaningful or complex portraits of gay men that they deserve to have in literature.

[Jordan (Jordy’s Book Club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

QUICK TAKE: It’s been so refreshing to see queer fiction start to really permeate into publishing and different genres these past few years, where gay characters and books are considered more mainstream than ever before. Case in point, this really twisty, taut thriller that not only sets the standard for the genre, but adds its own unique take on the domestic suspense story. Here, the story is centered around Oliver and Nathan, a gay couple who appear to have the perfect relationship, but below the surface are harboring a whole host of secrets and lies. The biggest secret being the catalyst that kicks off the book: Oliver goes to a local gay bath house (while Nathan is on a work trip), with the intent of sleeping with a stranger, only to realize the man he picks up has a fetish for…some dark shit. To give much more of the book away would spoil the fun, but needless to say, Oliver’s bath house tryst does not remain a secret and the lies he tells to prevent the truth from coming to light slowly start to unravel and take over his life and relationship.⁣
⁣
The book is dark and sexy, with a couple unpredictable twists and enough soap and domestic drama to keep readers on the edge of their seat. I read a LOT of thrillers and I can say with certainty that this is for sure one of my favorites of the year.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Bath Haus is intense and dark and reads like a dream. P.J. Vernon was highly recommended to me by a friend who loved his debut. Guess who bought the debut before I had finished this book? Absolutely me!

Oliver has struggled with addiction in the past, but he’s settled into a good life now, with Nathan, a wealthy surgeon. The book alternates perspectives of Oliver and Nathan, but it feels more like Oliver’s story. When Nathan narrates, it is to propel the story back to Oliver.

The story opens with a bang when Oliver visits a local gay bathhouse. He knows he shouldn’t because he’s in a loving, comfortable relationship, and you can feel all the emotions rushing through him as he walks in the door. He has a dangerous interaction with someone there, leaving him afraid for his life. That interaction doesn’t end at the bathhouse, and the person becomes a stalker that won’t go away.

Bath Haus is described as a runaway train narrative, and it certainly is. Once everyone is on board, the train leaves the station, and it’s one twist after another after that. I loved the short chapters and perfectly paced action. Everyone is talking about this one this summer, and it is well-earned. If you decide to board the runaway train, just know it’s an intense, brilliant, dark, twisty, and delicious ride!

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Kyra Leseberg (Roots & Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recovering addict Oliver has found happiness in his sobriety thanks to help from his partner Nathan, a prominent surgeon in DC. Though their pasts and age difference make them an unlikely couple, they’ve created a life together.
Unfortunately, they have fallen into a rut. Oliver knows he could lose everything in an instant but he cannot resist a trip to Haus, a gay bathhouse, while Nathan is attending an out of town conference. He’ll allow himself to give into temptation with an anonymous man and then return to his life with Nathan.
What starts as a seductive meeting between strangers both seeking the same thing ends in a shocking act of violence in which Oliver narrowly escapes with his life.

Terrified Oliver creates a story to explain his injuries to Nathan but little does he know his attacker is ready to play a game of cat and mouse that could destroy his life …or end it completely.

Whoa, this story was bananas! Man seeks man for a one-night stand and instead escapes a stalker intent on destroying him. Suddenly Oliver has to create lies on top of lies in order to maintain the life he has created …but soon readers realize his relationship with Nathan isn’t as perfect as he thinks… and maybe Nathan has some secrets of his own.
To add even more drama, Oliver’s former boyfriend Hector shows up out of the blue (and there is a sordid history there!), Nathan’s mother is intent on getting Oliver out of her family’s life, annnnd there’s the fact that he filed two separate and conflicting police reports which makes the detective who could help him pretty skeptical.

Every character is morally questionable and generally unlikeable with ulterior motives and shocking secrets. I appreciate flawed and genuine characters but most of the characters here felt over the top for the sake of shock factor.

I had to set the book down several times to shake my head at the ridiculous decisions Oliver made at every turn. I even yelled at him several times: “Whyyyy are you doing this? … LEAVE him already, he is toxic and he doesn’t love you! … Do not get in that elevator! — Are you for real… why— WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN THE ELEVATOR???”

I clearly understand the whole point of a runaway-train narrative; the ripple effect, the events set in motion as the MC digs themselves deeper into a hole. This one just didn’t do it for me; Oliver’s decisions were too frustrating and the twist became obvious pretty quickly. Still, the juicy drama kept me reading and evoked strong emotion, even if it was exasperation.

Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Bath Haus is scheduled for release on June 15, 2021.

For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com

[Malia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another one of those books that I was reluctant to read because of the hype surrounding it. I feel those books so often leave me disappointed. Unfortunately, that was the case once again with Bath House. While it is fast paced and compelling, I guessed a lot of the twists ahead of time. I felt for Oliver (how could you not, given the way the author forces the reader, a tactic I do not like at all...the phrase "trauma porn" springs to mind), but I didn't really connect to him as a character.
I also felt this book was trying to be A Little Life mixed with a murder mystery, and not quite succeeding in the attempt. Another issue I had with the book, though one that other readers could avoid, is that I listened to the audio version which had Nathan and Oliver's chapters narrated by different people. While the Nathan narrator was fine, I found the Oliver voice to be quite irritating and whiny. This is, of course, a very subjective critique and other listeners might have thought both were cast perfectly. As I write this review, I am realizing I disliked the book more than I initially thought and am now contemplating two stars instead of three...Goodreads, when are we finally getting our half stars?! Anyway, long story short, I wasn't a fan.


Find my book reviews and more at https://maliayz.wixsite.com/princessa...

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth is supposed to set you free, but sometimes it’s not the truth that saves you. It’s the lies.

The jumping off point of this new release (which I sure as shit hope is a ginormous bestseller) is the old adage that when the cat’s away, the mouse will play. Oliver has been in a committed relationship with Nathan for years, but when Nathan heads out of town for a conference, Oliver feels like it’s time to . . . .



And off he heads to . . . .



We're talking glass, steam, bear traps and just when you think the fun is over . . . . Knock knock – Who’s there???? A murdery stranger who tries to strangle you to death!

The only thing I can say about this book is HOLY MOLY . . . .



I mean, yeah, I watched enough of this sort of trash back in the day that I had my suspicions regarding the whodunit . . . .



But I’m telling you, this is a book where it doesn’t even matter. There is zero chance you will see everything that gets thrown at you even if you figure out the basics. This is simply a story where you buckle up, sit back and enjoy the thrill ride. Every Star.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, well-written and very, very twisted, this gay domestic thriller isn't afraid to go for the jugular. The characters are somewhat unlikeable but you still empathize with Oliver as he is terrorized by a handsome Nordic psychopath (who at one point is referred to as "Alexander Scares-gaard") whom Oliver meets in one moment of bad judgment stepping out on his husband at a bathhouse.

Definitely memorable. And very well-written and well narrated on Audible. Author PJ Vernon is one to watch!

[Paul Ataua · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many positives here! The writing is good, there are lots of twists and turns, and the ending is satisfying. On the negative side, the 312 pages seemed more like 600 pages, there was a lot of annoying repetition, and quite frankly, I just didn’t like any of the main characters and that left me not caring what happened to them.

[Sarah Penner · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 wild stars. This book is insane & not for the faint of heart.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was CRAZY! It’s a rollercoaster ride of bad decisions, secrets, warranted paranoia, and the classic unreliable narrator. It’s dark and sexual, and is definitely one of the best thrillers of the year.

[james · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, it is I, thriller hater #1, coming at you with another review for a thriller that I ha- ... what do you mean LOVED????


I actually downloaded this to read a week ago and then DIDN'T. Past-Jonathan - what an idiot.


I finished this in one sitting today. The first chapter was so good and ended in such a dramatic way and perfectly set the tone for the rest of the book.

The dual POV definitely was the right choice. The characters were drastically different from each other and their individual chapters told in unique voices. You could just feel Oliver's paranoia and Nathan's condescension seeping through the pages. There was never a boring second. Never the feeling of "Ugh, I wish it was the other character's POV" (don't lie, we all think that in dual POV books). Not here, because they both delivered just the right punches at just the right time, both gave you small and intriguing pieces of information to put the story together, were well written and immersive as fuck.

This book literally gave me anxiety. I had some ideas about what might be going on but at the same time I had no idea where we were headed and I was just constantly on edge and scared of where we might arrive. There were so many twists and turns and at some points I didn't know who to trust anymore. Was Oliver lying? Was Nathan planning on killing everyone? Was maybe I the murderer??

Not only was this impossible to put down, it was also very well written. I'll just share one of the many quotes that spoke to me:

"The intimacy of sex mirrors the intimacy of murder. At least murder that requires one to use one's hands. To breathe into his ear. The French call orgasm "the little death".
Is this what they had in mind?"

How absolutely raw. It's on page 35 and there is just so much more to come.

Also, the whole theme of asphyxiation and dividing the book into the five phases of the condition? Genius.


Listen, what I'm saying is: I truly hate every thriller I read. They are all bad. In my opinion the entire genre just isn't salvageable and we should let it die. But I absolutely loved this. Do with this information what you will. 5 stars.

[Carlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this review and others at Carlene Inspired.

It felt so so good to give this book five stars. A wild, gay thriller that checked off all the boxes I have for dark, psychological thrillers. It's sexy, there's scandal, and shocking twists come when you least expect them.

Unlike some readers, I did not binge this. I started with the intent to finish in one go, but Bath Haus is a slow, twisted thriller. P.J. Vernon writes in such a way that your stress levels peak alongside Oliver Park's as the aftermath of Haus plays out. I had to let the words sit with me, to understand Oliver's background, his relationship, and the position Nathan has in his life. Oliver is such a likeable character, even when he isn't doing good things. Vernon fleshes him out, he feels real, and you do find yourself desiring his safety, as well as desiring the truth. Nathan, on the other hand, is both likeable and too controlling all at once. How Vernon managed to write such distinctive characters with unique voices I do not know, but they are perfect. I loved both their chapters, I liked getting to the meat of who they each really were and how they work together.

Bath Haus really is built around shame and while I'd love to give more detail, I truly believe this book is best when read blindly. It, at first, feels like a domestic drama novel, there's affairs, lies, and secretive snooping. There's talk of control, the traditional pieces that make a marital drama so good, but then it is somehow also so provocative. It's erotic and naughty, but with that eroticism comes the true thrill. Things go from suburban street gossip to edge of your seat panic, and yet somehow shame still sits at the center. A novel about choices, consequences, and how both play out over the course of one's life.

I cannot recommend Bath Haus enough, it is somehow both relatable and wholly terrifying in such a way that I can't imagine ever living it. It's twisted, it's fresh, it's incredibly well written, and it's gay. If you are a thriller fan, don't skip this one. Grab that gorgeous cover and settle in for dark ride.

ARC provided.

[Gerhard · Rating 3 out of 5]

'What happens next is as predictable as any slasher film bloodbath of an ending.'

Review to follow.

[enzoreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

ÇA M’A GAGGGGGGGGGG OMG