What happens when the person trusted to help troubled teens harbors the darkest troubles of all?
Ten years after her twin sister’s tragic drowning death at a lakeside camp, Susan Bering returns to her alma mater as the new school counselor at prestigious Christopher School. With advanced degrees in psychology and a seemingly sincere desire to help students navigate the turbulent waters of adolescence, she appears to be the perfect replacement for the aging counselor who suffered a heart attack.
But Susan carries devastating secrets from her past – secrets that begin to surface when she encounters Gail Depoe, whose brother Bob was involved in the drowning incident that claimed Susan’s twin sister Connie. As Susan establishes support groups and begins counseling vulnerable students, a malevolent presence grows stronger in her fractured psyche – the voice of Connie, demanding vengeance not just against the Depoe family, but against the entire student body at Christopher School.
Through expertly crafted psychological manipulation, Susan systematically targets and destroys the lives of the troubled teens who trust her most: Caroline, an obese freshman tormented by her alcoholic father; Maggie, a talented runner battling an eating disorder; Stoney, a popular cheerleader hiding a shoplifting addiction; and others who bare their souls in her private counseling sessions. Only Gail Depoe and her boyfriend Thom begin to suspect that behind Susan’s professional facade lurks a darkness capable of pushing fragile teens toward self-destruction.
As Susan’s grip on reality crumbles and Connie’s influence grows stronger, the line between helping and harming her young charges blurs beyond recognition. When her carefully orchestrated campaign of psychological terror leads to tragedy on the Huey P. Long Bridge, the truth about Susan’s past and present finally emerges in a shocking climax that will leave readers questioning the true nature of evil and redemption.
Written with deep psychological insight and ripped-from-the-headlines authenticity, COUNSELOR explores themes of trauma, revenge, mental illness, and the sacred trust between counselor and student. Author Chet Day draws on his 24 years of experience as a high school English teacher to create a chilling portrait of a damaged soul using her position of authority to perpetrate elaborate psychological abuse under the guise of helping troubled teens.
This taut psychological thriller will appeal to fans of:
- Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects
- Stephen King’s Carrie
- Complex psychological suspense with unreliable narrators
- Stories exploring the dark side of seemingly trustworthy authority figures
- Character-driven narratives examining trauma’s long-term effects
- School-based thrillers that probe beneath the surface of academic life
Perfect for readers who enjoy:
- Multi-layered psychological suspense
- Explorations of identity and duality
- Stories told from multiple viewpoints
- Complex female protagonists
- Atmospheric Southern settings
- Examination of family dynamics and generational trauma
COUNSELOR confirms Chet Day’s mastery of psychological suspense while breaking new ground in its unflinching look at mental illness, revenge, and the vulnerability of troubled teens. With its authentic portrayal of high school life and its sophisticated exploration of fractured identity, this novel will keep readers on edge until its haunting final pages.
