Category Archives: Psychological Thriller

#BookBlast #BookPromo – The Housekeeper: A Twisted Psychological Thriller by Natalie Barelli

She’s a liar. She’s a stalker. She’s in your house.

When Claire sees Hannah Wilson at an exclusive Manhattan hair salon, it’s like a knife slicing through barely healed scars. It may have been ten years since Claire last saw Hannah, but she has thought of her every day, and not in a good way. So Claire does what anyone would do in her position—she stalks her.

Hannah is now Mrs. Carter, living the charmed life that should have been Claire’s. It’s the life Claire used to have, before Hannah came along and took it all away from her.

Back then, Claire was a happy teenager with porcelain skin and long, wavy blond hair. Now she’s an overweight, lazy drunk with hair the color of compost and skin to match. Which is why when Hannah advertises for a housekeeper, Claire is confident she can apply and not be recognized. And since she has time on her hands, revenge on her mind, and a talent for acting…

Because what better way to seek retribution—and redress—than from within the beautiful Mrs. Hannah Carter’s own home?

Except that it’s not just Claire who has secrets. Everyone in that house seems to have something to hide.

And now, there’s no way out.

#Review – Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

We forgive murderers, not pedophiles.

Not since Lionel Shriver brought us We Need to Talk About Kevin has a writer delved into the complexities of a disturbed mother/son relationship. Until now.

Meet Noah—an A-honor roll student, award-winning swimmer, and small-town star destined for greatness. There weren’t any signs that something was wrong until the day he confesses to molesting little girls during swim team practice. He’s sentenced to eighteen months in a juvenile sexual rehabilitation center.

His mother, Adrianne, refuses to turn her back on him despite his horrific crimes, but her husband won’t allow Noah back into their home. In a series of shocking and shattering revelations, Adrianne is forced to make the hardest decision of her life. Just how far will she go to protect her son?

Saving Noah challenges everything you think you know about teenage sexual offenders. It will keep you up at night long after you’ve read the last page, questioning beliefs you once thought were true.

So like usual, I didn’t read the blurb for this book and I’m glad I didn’t. I’d rather go in surprised and I definitely was.

Lucinda took a very tough subject and wrote it in a way that makes you question. What would you do in this situation? Would you help your child and give them what they want even though you would lose them in the process? Would you still love them even though they did something absolutely horrible and disgusting? It would definitely be a hard pill to swallow.

This book is about a 17 year old who is a pedophile. While his mother still loved him through it all, his father, not so much. We eventually find out why and like most of Lucinda’s books, I wasn’t expecting the twist. But it all makes sense now.

I don’t want to give too much away and like normal, I do suggest going into this book completely blind. It’s about a mother’s love and what she would do to help her child and give them what they want even though it hurts at the same time and would leave a gaping hole in its place.

This story was rough and it’s definitely a tough subject, so if you have triggers, please read with caution. I think the person I felt sorry for the most was Noah’s sister. She was completely innocent in all of this.

Now that I’ve finally caught up and read every Lucinda Berry book, I really can’t wait for her next release.

#Review Missing Parts by Lucinda Berry

Secrets never stay buried…

Growing up abandoned by her father and raised by a single mother, Celeste was determined to create the perfect family but even perfect families have secrets. Celeste’s days are filled with a rewarding career, a devoted husband, and her four-year-old daughter. Only Celeste knows the precarious house of cards her family is built upon until the day her daughter falls critically ill. Celeste’s world quickly spirals out of control as her secret threatens to destroy her marriage, family, reputation, and sanity. She’ll go to any lengths to protect her family—take any risk, break any law—anything except tell the truth.

“A natural fit for fans of Gone Girl-style narrators and fast moving plots— Closer Weekly

“A gripping psychological thriller…Read it in one sitting—Bookish Girl

Ok, so I had no idea what to expect when I started this book. Like normal, I just one-clicked and went in blind and man, am I ever glad I did. So first thing, IF you decide to read this book, I do suggest not reading the blurb and just diving right in. The ride and experience it took me on, was on a whole other level. I read one chapter yesterday and read the rest today. I haven’t done that in years. I haven’t WANTED to do that in years. It felt nice. Really really nice.

Now for the review.

We meet Celeste and David, who have a daughter named Rori. They’re a loving family but you can almost right away tell that something isn’t quite right. Celeste goes on about That Night and some of the thoughts she has toward her daughter, made me wonder what the heck was going on and why she would think those things toward her own flesh and blood.

Unfortunately, Rori ends up getting sick, really sick actually, and the doctors need to run some tests. And both of the parents. I had a feeling about one of the secrets that came out right away and I was right. I didn’t want to be right but I was.

Once those test results come back, things escalate from there. Rori is still extremely sick and things aren’t going too well for her parents either.

Something happens with Celeste and she ends up leaving. Now her reasoning for leaving completely makes sense. Did I want her to just man up and face the consequences? Yes. But I never actually thought that until now because again, I got it. It was frustrating to say the least but again, I understood. People can make rash decisions when trouble arises, especially if they think they committed a crime.

Celeste ends up moving to a new State and town and meets some amazing people. Fast forward a bit and she realizes she has to go home and come clean. So she does and man, I did not see it coming how this book ends. As a romance reader, it hurts, but as a psycholigical thriller reader, I get it. Do I like it? No. Not one bit. But one of the other things that come out, I predicted and I felt so bad for Celeste. Ugh my heart hurts just thinking about it.

Bottom line, I do highly suggest this book. It’s hands down my favourite of Lucinda Berry’s. Now on to the next one!

#Review The Secrets Of Us by Lucinda Berry

Dangerously addictive, The Secrets of Us is a pulse-pounding exploration of a disturbed psyche and the bond between two sisters desperate to escape a troubled past.

Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole have always been there for each other, so when Nichole is committed to a psychiatric hospital after trying to kill her husband, Krystal drops everything to defend her.

Scarred by a hard upbringing, Nichole and Krystal managed to construct comfortable lives for themselves. Krystal became a respected lawyer, and Nichole was happily married to an architect—until Nichole starts raving that her husband isn’t her husband, believing that he’s an imposter.

Driven by fierce loyalty, Krystal starts asking questions, but she’s not sure she can bear the answers. Her investigation leads to the sisters’ dark shared past…to a horrible tragedy and a well-guarded lie that cemented their sisterly bond.

But that lie can’t kill the truth—the battered, gasping, clawing truth that’s coming for them both. Now Krystal and Nichole must both fight for the lives they’ve built before they’re consumed by the one they left behind.

First, I really can’t thank Twinsie Tenise for introducing me to this author. Her books are like nothing I’ve ever read before and I’m slowly making my way through her back list.

The Secrets Of Us was my first 2022 read and what a way to start the year!

We meet foster sisters Nichole and Krystal who unfortunately didn’t have such a wonderful childhood. With an overbearing foster mom with strict rules and another foster sister who made life difficult for them, Krystal and Nichole realized rather quickly that they only had each other.

The book starts out with Krystal finding out her sister Nichole was in the hospital after a tragic accident happened involving both her and her husband. We learn that it wasn’t an accident and was completely intentional but what we don’t know, is why.

This book is filled with twists and turns, the usual Lucinda Berry way, and I was chomping at the bit trying to figure out what was what. It’s a who dunnit type story and we can’t figure out who is telling the truth or not.

One of the things I love about Lucinda’s books, is trying to figure out if my theory is right and usually, I’m wrong. Which makes it even more exciting when the truth comes out.

As per normal, I don’t want to give too much away and I do recommend going into this book completely blind. I didn’t read the blurb. Just saw the cover and that it was by Lucinda and dove in. I suggest doing the same!

What a wonderful way to start a new year of reading.

The sisters went through so much and while Krystal was trying her hardest to protect Nichole, it almost cost her her life in the end. But why? Read the book to find out more as I don’t want to give anything anyway. Just know, that like most of Lucinda’s books, if you think you know, you probably don’t.

#Review #AudioBook – Mother Knows Best: A Novel of Suspense by Kira Peikoff

One of POPSUGAR’s Top 15 Medical Thrillers
One of REAL SIMPLE’s 35 Chilling Psychological Thrillers

A mother’s worst nightmare, a chance at redemption, and a deadly secret that haunts a family across the generations—“the psychological thriller everyone will be talking about” (Lisa Scottaline)


There’s only room for one mother in this family.

Claire Abrams’s dreams became a nightmare when she passed on a genetic mutation that killed her little boy. Now she wants a second chance to be a mother, and finds it in Robert Nash, a maverick fertility doctor who works under the radar with Jillian Hendricks, a cunning young scientist bent on making her mark–and seducing her boss.

Claire, Robert, and Jillian work together to create the world’s first baby with three genetic parents–an unprecedented feat that could eliminate inherited disease. But when word of their illegal experiment leaks to the wrong person, Robert escapes into hiding with the now-pregnant Claire, leaving Jillian to serve out a prison sentence that destroys her future.

Ten years later, a spunky girl named Abigail begins to understand that all is not right with the reclusive man and woman she knows as her parents. But the family’s problems are only beginning. Jillian, hardened by a decade of jealousy and loss, has returned–and nothing will stop her from reuniting with the man and daughter who should have been hers.

Past, present, and future converge in this mesmerizing psychological thriller from critically acclaimed author Kira Peikoff.

Um…this book. Wow. What the heck did I just listen to??

So I went in completely blind, which I highly reccomend doing if you can and what a ride it was. I had absolutely NO idea what was going on. I was left feeling confused at times, frustrated and stressed out but man, those were amazing feelings to have while listening to this book.

So Kira Peikoff is a brand new to me author and this will definitely not be my last book of hers that I read/listen to. I enjoyed how detailed this book was. There are things in it that I’m left wondering if they can actually happen or not but I’m no doctor or scientist, so I’ll leave that up to the professionals.

Claire and Ethan have been trying for a baby for a while. They had a son, who unfortunately had a medical condition that ended up taking his life. They decided to try for a second baby but that hadn’t happened yet and they weren’t getting any younger. So a woman desperate to have that baby, would almost do anything to have one. Trust me, from someone who knows how that feels, I’ve been tempted to do some crazy things to have a kid of my own. But that’s a story for another day over lots of alcohol.

Claire ends up going to this fertility doctor and it all becomes crazy from there.

A woman desperate to have another baby.

A scientist desperate to make her way in a world that for the most part, is run by men.

A man who thinks this fertility doctor’s ways are unethical.

And more.

Wow. Just wow. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. I was left yelling at my phone, demanding to know what was going on and I was trying to urge the narrators on to talk faster. I needed to know!

The book is written in 3 different POVs (point of views) and I enjoyed them all but the one, actually got on my nerves part way through the book. If you listen to the audio book of this, you’ll understand why.

Thank you, Kira, for an amazing story and for making me feel things as a reader that doesn’t normally happen.

Oh and if you like a little romance with your suspense, this book has that too.

#Review #AudioBook – One Little Mistake: A Novella by Lucinda Berry (An Audible Original)

From the best-selling author of The Secrets of Us and The Best of Friends comes a novella of deceit, desperation, and how one little mistake can unravel a life.
When overwhelmed stay-at-home mom Alexis finds herself at odds with her husband after she’s charged with a DUI, she is given one chance to get her family back: complete AA and admit her faults. The problem is, she’s never had a drinking problem and has no idea what caused the blackout that led to her arrest. Still, she’s committed to working through the program, if that’s what it takes to be reunited with her two young children. But when she connects with a new friend, Farrah – a confident, successful powerhouse of a woman Alexis can’t help but idolize – she’s empowered to take a closer look at her husband’s role in her downfall. What she finds shocks her to her core, quickly spiraling into something more sinister than she ever imagined. 

I really liked this novella. I don’t usually listen to audio books but my reading has been limited lately, so thought I’d give it a shot. And what better way to do that then by listening to one of my favourite authors? AND it’s an audible original too, which is even cooler.

Alexis is having a hard time of it. She has a young daughter and just gave birth to a son a few months ago. Her husband is no help at all. Which let me tell you, was highly infuriating to read.

Unfortunately for Alexis, she decides to have a glass of wine one day, a little earlier than normal for her, and the next thing she knows, she’s waking up in the drunk tank. Buuut after only having a couple glasses, maybe only 2, she doesn’t remember anything at all. Even though she’s a light weight when it comes to alcohol, she knows that there is no way that she could have blacked out.

The one twist in this book wasn’t overly surprising but the 2nd one, yeah, I couldn’t predict it at all.

It just shows that there are a lot of people out there who take advantage when someone is down on their luck. And poor Alexis fell victim to it.

The book, although short, was a fun afternoon listen. It was entertaining and I can’t wait for more.

Also, as with most novellas, I do wish this one was longer but that’s just me.

This is my first audiobook review and I really liked the narrator. She did a fantastic job and coming from someone who is only starting to get into audiobooks, she held my interest and I wasn’t bored.

#REVIEW – Phantom Limb: A Gripping Psychological Thriller by Lucinda Berry

Emily and Elizabeth spend their childhood locked in a bedroom and terrorized by a mother who drinks too much and disappears for days. The identical twins are rescued by a family determined to be their saviors.

But there’s some horrors love can’t erase…

Elizabeth wakes in a hospital, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak. The last thing she remembers is finding Emily’s body in their bathroom. Days before, she was falling in love and starting college. Now, she’s surrounded by men who talk to themselves and women who pull out their eyebrows.

As she delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Emily’s death, she discovers shocking secrets and holes in her memory that force her to remember what she’s worked so hard to forget—the beatings, the blood, the special friends. Her life spins out of control at a terrifying speed as she desperately tries to unravel the psychological puzzle of her past before it’s too late.


This is a new release of an edition originally published by Rise Press.
Having read a few of Lucinda’s books already, I now go in expecting something amazing, a twist, and a cliffhanger of some sort. This book was no different. Although each book comes with a twist, I can never predict exactly how Lucinda will do it, which makes it even more exciting for me as a reader.
First, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed how this story educated you when it comes to mental health. When Emily and Elizabeth were little, their mom did unspeakable things to them and had “special friends” do even worse stuff. How any mother could do something like this or set something like this up, is beyond me. It’s beyond awful. Emily and Elizabeth are twins and have been through hell together. Literally. They both deal with the outcome and aftermath of the abuse they endured as little girls, in very different ways. We find see Elizabeth snap and end up at a mental health hospital where she befriends Rose. Truths are revealed that lead us to a big twist at the end. I couldn’t predict it but I wasn’t overly surprised either. Especially with what these girls have been through. This is another great read by Lucinda Berry and I can’t wait to read the rest of the her books.
If you like psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this one!

#REVIEW – The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.
A page-turning debut of suspense about a young couple desperate to have a child of their own—and the unsettling consequences of getting what they always wanted.
Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.
But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.
Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.



This book was insane!
I kept messaging a friend, losing my mind over this story. I tried predicting things and for the most part, I was wrong.
This book left me enraged at parts. I have to say that I haven’t had an emotional response to a book like this in such a long time, it was nice and definitely needed.
The story follows Hannah and Christopher who foster-to-adopt a little girl. Janie had been neglected and abused to the point you feel sorry for her right? Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
Without giving too much away, I have to say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Yes there were parts that made me mad, I yelled at the characters, had to put the book down at times to collect myself and was ripping my hair out (not literally) trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I couldn’t read fast enough.
This book is one that will stick with me for a while. So much so that it even gave me nightmares, which has only ever happened one other time while reading.
If you have triggers, please please please go into this book with caution. It’s not light and fluffy. It’s not a romance. Things happen and things are mentioned in detail, so please be careful while reading this book.
My only beef is how it ended. But I’ve come to learn that most of Lucinda’s books end in a certain way. I’m still so used to romance books that I find that I’m always looking for an epilogue. So that’s just me and it doesn’t change my love of this book at all.
If you’re looking for an unputdownable read, a book that will have you guessing and unable to turn the pages fast enough, pick up this book.
My mind is still reeling from it.

#Review – The Best Of Friends by Lucinda Berry

An unthinkable tragedy forever changes a group of teens and turns family against family in this edge-of-your-seat thriller that begs to be read in one sitting.
Best friends Lindsey, Kendra, and Dani endure every parent’s nightmare when a tragic accident befalls their teenage boys, leaving one dead, another in a coma, and a third too traumatized to speak.
Reeling from the worst night of their lives, the three mothers plunge into a desperate investigation of the bizarre incident. How could something so horrible happen in their wealthy Southern California suburb?
They soon discover that the accident was just the beginning, and troubling discoveries lead to chilling questions: Do they really know their children? Do they even know each other? As more secrets surface, a fog of doubt and suspicion threatens to poison their families, their friendships, and the whole community.
With the illusion of happiness and safety long gone, these women must now confront the hazards of heartbreak, the consequences of jealousy, and the dangers of living double lives.

I just…wow….I have no words. This is my 3rd book by Lucinda Berry and I’m obsessed. I thought I loved the other books I read by her but this one is my absolute favourite thus far.

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and more.

This book follows three families. They were all friends since they were kids. Grew up in a small town together. Everyone knows everyone, kind of thing. Their kids played together, grew up together too, went to the same schools, played on the same teams, etc.

One night a horrible accident takes place and it’s a case of “Who did it and why??”

As the story unfolds, we of course find out that these families are harboring secrets outside of the horrible accident that took place.

An abusive husband.

A husband looking for a companion outside of his marriage and kids.

A wife who gave her kid meds without her husband knowing.

So many secrets.

So many lies.

I enjoyed the different perspectives and I also liked seeing the hidden drama outside of that accident. It showed how real they are. As the chapters went on, I found I was glued to the pages near the end, trying to figure out what was going on. I can’t even tell you how many times I gasped. The characters’ raw emotions bled onto the pages.

But when I read that last paragraph, I was like “Whaaaaat????” I did not see that coming. It’s one of the many things I love about Lucinda’s books. I can’t predict them. At all. And I’m not complaining in the least.

#REVIEW – Appetite For Innocence: A Dark Psychological Thriller by Lucinda Berry

Be careful what you post online. Your next check-in might lead him right to you…

A serial rapist is kidnapping teenage girls. But he’s not interested in just any teenage girls—only virgins. He hunts them by following their status updates and check-ins on social media. Once he’s captured them, they’re locked away in his sound-proof basement until they’re groomed and ready. He throws them away like pieces of trash after he’s stolen their innocence. Nobody escapes alive.

Until Ella.

Ella risks it all to escape, setting herself and the other girls free. But only Sarah—the girl whose been captive the longest—gets out with her. The girls are hospitalized and surrounded by FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find the man responsible. Ella and Sarah are the key to their investigation, but Sarah’s hiding something and it isn’t long before Ella discovers her nightmare is far from over.

Fans of The Butterfly Garden and The Girl Before will devour Appetite for Innocence

Warning: Contains sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers.



This book was insane. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen and how it would end because I knew that there was going to be a twist of some sort.
The book is written in both Ella’s point of view along with Sarah’s. We learn how Ella was taken by “John” and how Sarah was conditioned over the years. Both of their stories are tragic in the same way but also different. Sarah had been with John for four years, ever since she was 12 years old. So of course, it makes sense for him to have control over her in a much different way than he does with the other girls.
Parts of the book were quite frustrating but I also understood as well. I’m not a mom but I know that if it had been my child who was taken and I finally got them home, I would want to do everything I could to help them get through it. I would probably do what Ella’s mom did as well, even though it drove me crazy at times and I felt like she wasn’t listening to her daughter until it was almost too late.
I do like the desperation Ella’s mom faced when trying to make her daughter feel better. And to try and get things back to normal for her. While it was a little much at times, I get it and would probably do the same. You can be the strongest person and something like this could still break you.
This is only my second book by Lucinda Berry but I’m loving this journey into her the worlds she creates and I can’t wait to read more of her words!