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One in Four
When a reality show about former child stars overcoming addiction culminates in murder, their therapist must take a closer look into their lives—and her own, from USA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry.
Dr. Laurel Harlow can’t believe she’s agreed to do a reality TV show. But her years as a chemical dependency counselor and personal history with the show’s director make her the obvious choice. Treating a mansion full of former child stars on the road to recovery is the tallest order of her career—especially when one of them turns up dead while the cameras are still rolling.
In a house full of narcissists vying for the spotlight, everyone’s hiding something…including Laurel. An investigation could expose a past she’d rather keep buried. But among the attention-starved patients, only one of them is a predator. And Laurel is skilled at spotting a predator when she sees one.
As she hunts a killer in her present, the unsettling truths of Laurel’s past are forced into the light. But this time, she’ll face her demons head on. She’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.
Dr. Laurel Harlow can’t believe she’s agreed to do a reality TV show. But her years as a chemical dependency counselor and personal history with the show’s director make her the obvious choice. Treating a mansion full of former child stars on the road to recovery is the tallest order of her career—especially when one of them turns up dead while the cameras are still rolling.
In a house full of narcissists vying for the spotlight, everyone’s hiding something…including Laurel. An investigation could expose a past she’d rather keep buried. But among the attention-starved patients, only one of them is a predator. And Laurel is skilled at spotting a predator when she sees one.
As she hunts a killer in her present, the unsettling truths of Laurel’s past are forced into the light. But this time, she’ll face her demons head on. She’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
5936 people are currently reading
39141 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Berry
31 books21.8k followersUSA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry is a former psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. She’s written multiple bestsellers reaching millions of readers worldwide. Some of her bestselling works include The Perfect Child, Saving Noah, When She Returned, The Best of Friends, and Keep Your Friends Close. Her books have been optioned for film and translated into several languages.
If Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media (@lucindaberryauthor) or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com.
If Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media (@lucindaberryauthor) or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,296 reviews
May 15, 2025
I’m a huge Lucinda Berry fan, so I was super excited to start this book. The first few chapters were great—I was hooked!
But then... things took a turn. The story suddenly changed so much, I had to double-check if I was still reading the same book!
It wasn’t all bad. Once I got back into it, it was okay. But I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it a bit hard to fully enjoy.
A solid 3 stars from me.
But then... things took a turn. The story suddenly changed so much, I had to double-check if I was still reading the same book!
It wasn’t all bad. Once I got back into it, it was okay. But I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it a bit hard to fully enjoy.
A solid 3 stars from me.
August 28, 2025
Not my favorite but a quick read with an exciting premise. Just wanted more from it!
May 23, 2025
Thoughts
Lucinda losing her spark I fear(?) This was the longest 200 page book I've read in forever 🥱 as someone who LOVES this author's books, this read was a letdown.. I was bored more than I was hooked💔 maybe it's another me situation but the plot was just telling which caused lack of build up .. I couldn't connect to any of the characters as we literally didn't get anything about them aside from the FMC, honestly the book felt like it had missing pages.. With all these things being said I appreciated how the topics in this story were handled..
Plot Summary
Laurel Harlow never imagined she'd end up on a reality TV show—but when she's asked to help a group of former child stars through addiction recovery on camera, she agrees, despite her doubts. Things quickly spiral when one of the stars is found dead and everyone in the house becomes a suspect.
Lucinda losing her spark I fear(?) This was the longest 200 page book I've read in forever 🥱 as someone who LOVES this author's books, this read was a letdown.. I was bored more than I was hooked💔 maybe it's another me situation but the plot was just telling which caused lack of build up .. I couldn't connect to any of the characters as we literally didn't get anything about them aside from the FMC, honestly the book felt like it had missing pages.. With all these things being said I appreciated how the topics in this story were handled..
Plot Summary
Laurel Harlow never imagined she'd end up on a reality TV show—but when she's asked to help a group of former child stars through addiction recovery on camera, she agrees, despite her doubts. Things quickly spiral when one of the stars is found dead and everyone in the house becomes a suspect.
May 31, 2025
A complex, heartrending plot, One in Four was the epitome of a Lucinda Berry story. You see, it was dark, gritty, and twisted in that deeply psychological way she’s so well known for exploring. So it was no great surprise that from the slow burn start until the delicious unhinged conclusion, I couldn’t put this one down no matter how late into the night I found myself compulsively reading. After all, just when I thought I had it all figured out, a twist would arrive on the scene and destroyed whatever surprise I thought I saw coming. To be frank, describing this book as twisty is quite the understatement as the revelations were downright mind-blowing in all of their unguessable albeit somewhat over-the-top glory.
I do have to warn you, however, when I said that this book was dark, I really meant it. Addressing some disturbingly serious topics, it explored not only addiction and trauma, but also a handful of other spine-chilling themes. I can’t delve into those, though, without providing one heck of a spoiler. Just be sure to check out my list of triggers before diving in if so inclined. After all, this one had me crawling out of my skin by the time I reached the last page. I just wish there had been a more detailed and less abrupt ending. Somewhat open-ended, it had me wishing for a nice, pretty, little bow to match up with the rest of this riveting novel.
All said and done, between the dual timelines and mysterious second perspective, I was wholly won over by this unputdownable thriller. At under 250 pages, the panic-inducing storyline, suspicious personas, and sinister feel had me flying through the pages despite the late hour. I mean, who could pass up an addiction counselor protagonist paired with a revenge plot for the ages. Feeling psychologically acute as well as completely unnerving, Berry knew just how to tighten the screws as she delivered an entirely plausible yet delightfully unhinged ending. So if you love a relevant story that will make think long and hard, give this one a try. Just be sure to cancel all plans as you won’t be able to put it down. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Dr. Laurel Harlow can’t believe she’s agreed to do a reality TV show. But her years as a chemical dependency counselor and personal history with the show’s director make her the obvious choice. Treating a mansion full of former child stars on the road to recovery is the tallest order of her career―especially when one of them turns up dead while the cameras are still rolling.
In a house full of narcissists vying for the spotlight, everyone’s hiding something…including Laurel. An investigation could expose a past she’d rather keep buried. But among the attention-starved patients, only one of them is a predator. And Laurel is skilled at spotting a predator when she sees one.
As she hunts a killer in her present, the unsettling truths of Laurel’s past are forced into the light. But this time, she’ll face her demons head on. She’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.
Thank you to Lucinda Berry, Thomas & Mercer, BookSparks, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm, sexual assault, bullying, trolling, violence, kidnapping, infidelity, suicide
I do have to warn you, however, when I said that this book was dark, I really meant it. Addressing some disturbingly serious topics, it explored not only addiction and trauma, but also a handful of other spine-chilling themes. I can’t delve into those, though, without providing one heck of a spoiler. Just be sure to check out my list of triggers before diving in if so inclined. After all, this one had me crawling out of my skin by the time I reached the last page. I just wish there had been a more detailed and less abrupt ending. Somewhat open-ended, it had me wishing for a nice, pretty, little bow to match up with the rest of this riveting novel.
All said and done, between the dual timelines and mysterious second perspective, I was wholly won over by this unputdownable thriller. At under 250 pages, the panic-inducing storyline, suspicious personas, and sinister feel had me flying through the pages despite the late hour. I mean, who could pass up an addiction counselor protagonist paired with a revenge plot for the ages. Feeling psychologically acute as well as completely unnerving, Berry knew just how to tighten the screws as she delivered an entirely plausible yet delightfully unhinged ending. So if you love a relevant story that will make think long and hard, give this one a try. Just be sure to cancel all plans as you won’t be able to put it down. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Dr. Laurel Harlow can’t believe she’s agreed to do a reality TV show. But her years as a chemical dependency counselor and personal history with the show’s director make her the obvious choice. Treating a mansion full of former child stars on the road to recovery is the tallest order of her career―especially when one of them turns up dead while the cameras are still rolling.
In a house full of narcissists vying for the spotlight, everyone’s hiding something…including Laurel. An investigation could expose a past she’d rather keep buried. But among the attention-starved patients, only one of them is a predator. And Laurel is skilled at spotting a predator when she sees one.
As she hunts a killer in her present, the unsettling truths of Laurel’s past are forced into the light. But this time, she’ll face her demons head on. She’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.
Thank you to Lucinda Berry, Thomas & Mercer, BookSparks, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm, sexual assault, bullying, trolling, violence, kidnapping, infidelity, suicide
December 10, 2024
This book left me grumpy.
• I hated everyone. Literally everyone.
• It’s not about the reality TV show.
• It’s not about our narcissistic celebrity addicts.
• The book changes into an entirely different book partially through – a book I would not have chosen!
• The reason behind everything is complicated, bizarre, and unbelievable.
• I did not like the ending.
I did finish the book, but it was very definitely not for me.
*ARC via publisher
• I hated everyone. Literally everyone.
• It’s not about the reality TV show.
• It’s not about our narcissistic celebrity addicts.
• The book changes into an entirely different book partially through – a book I would not have chosen!
• The reason behind everything is complicated, bizarre, and unbelievable.
• I did not like the ending.
I did finish the book, but it was very definitely not for me.
*ARC via publisher
May 18, 2025
MY HEAD IS TORN
In One in Four, former child stars who are trying to overcome addictions in front of the world on a Reality TV Show turn chaos when one of the stars is murdered. The show's therapist tries to uncover the lives of all the contestants while dealing with her own demons.
Sliding down the walls throwing up because i am so torn with this book. Ms. Berry is back terrorizing us with her dark tense writing but the story itself failed to captivate me.
I initially went into this book thinking it was going to be strongly focused on the reality tv plot with a mysterious whodunnit but the book deviated away from that quite swiftly and i must admit i didn't enjoy the direction it went.
The pacing in the first half was slow and there wasn't any likeable character for me to get onboard with. When the twist came i must say i was taken aback and became engaged again in the story but it then faltered again and i just felt confused throughout.
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Dark and disturbing
➽ Heartbreaking past chapters
➽ Consequences of social media
➽ Surprising twist
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDNT LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ FMC long inner monologue
➽ Unnecessary characters
➽ A little repetitive
➽ Quite confusing
➽ The ending
The last 30% was wild, dark and quite embellished but unfortunately the whole story had become lost on me. Lucinda is one of my favourite authors and will continue to be, this book was just not a massive win for me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
I have been waiting the longest for this book!!
Time to escape and be traumatised!!
Lucinda, permission to do your worst!!
💙💙💙
In One in Four, former child stars who are trying to overcome addictions in front of the world on a Reality TV Show turn chaos when one of the stars is murdered. The show's therapist tries to uncover the lives of all the contestants while dealing with her own demons.
Sliding down the walls throwing up because i am so torn with this book. Ms. Berry is back terrorizing us with her dark tense writing but the story itself failed to captivate me.
I initially went into this book thinking it was going to be strongly focused on the reality tv plot with a mysterious whodunnit but the book deviated away from that quite swiftly and i must admit i didn't enjoy the direction it went.
The pacing in the first half was slow and there wasn't any likeable character for me to get onboard with. When the twist came i must say i was taken aback and became engaged again in the story but it then faltered again and i just felt confused throughout.
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Dark and disturbing
➽ Heartbreaking past chapters
➽ Consequences of social media
➽ Surprising twist
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDNT LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ FMC long inner monologue
➽ Unnecessary characters
➽ A little repetitive
➽ Quite confusing
➽ The ending
The last 30% was wild, dark and quite embellished but unfortunately the whole story had become lost on me. Lucinda is one of my favourite authors and will continue to be, this book was just not a massive win for me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
I have been waiting the longest for this book!!
Time to escape and be traumatised!!
Lucinda, permission to do your worst!!
💙💙💙
January 1, 2025
3.5🌟
Reality TV just became a bit too real.
Fallen from grace, having grown out of their popularity, former child stars are cast in a reality show exposing their demons in order to beat their addictions.
They’re housed at Crystal Meadows, an inpatient treatment center for addiction. In charge is the famous Dr. Laurel Harlow.
After the youngest and most loved star dies during treatment, well…as they say, “The shows over folks!”
Lots of questions… how did she die? Is someone responsible? And if so who, and why?
Sounds good right?! But then everything changed.
The storyline felt as though it veered off course about midway with and the aforementioned plot line all but disappearing.
It’s a quick read, and maybe that was the issue. I needed a bit more depth. And with a rather abrupt ending, I was left somewhat unsatisfied.
Not a favorite from this author. But I’ve enjoyed some of her previous works so I’ll definitely be watching for her next!
⚠️There are definitely a few strong trigger warnings:
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
Reality TV just became a bit too real.
Fallen from grace, having grown out of their popularity, former child stars are cast in a reality show exposing their demons in order to beat their addictions.
They’re housed at Crystal Meadows, an inpatient treatment center for addiction. In charge is the famous Dr. Laurel Harlow.
After the youngest and most loved star dies during treatment, well…as they say, “The shows over folks!”
Lots of questions… how did she die? Is someone responsible? And if so who, and why?
Sounds good right?! But then everything changed.
The storyline felt as though it veered off course about midway with and the aforementioned plot line all but disappearing.
It’s a quick read, and maybe that was the issue. I needed a bit more depth. And with a rather abrupt ending, I was left somewhat unsatisfied.
Not a favorite from this author. But I’ve enjoyed some of her previous works so I’ll definitely be watching for her next!
⚠️There are definitely a few strong trigger warnings:
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
May 23, 2025
There were some good moments in this novel, but I couldn’t get past the nativity of one character, and the motive of another that seemed a bit OTT.
February 20, 2025
I needed like 100 more pages!! I wanted more of the story and a little more connection with the supporting characters.
Such a complex, layered story that tackles many topics that so many people, women specifically, struggle with. It made me reflect on the ripple effect our choices can have on ourselves and others, even generationally.
I cried at the end from a specific line towards people that have lost a loved one. Hit me right in the GURTS!!!!! I want to give it a 4 but I’m leaning more towards a 3.75.
CHECK TRIGGERS IF YOU NEED TO🫶🏾
Such a complex, layered story that tackles many topics that so many people, women specifically, struggle with. It made me reflect on the ripple effect our choices can have on ourselves and others, even generationally.
I cried at the end from a specific line towards people that have lost a loved one. Hit me right in the GURTS!!!!! I want to give it a 4 but I’m leaning more towards a 3.75.
CHECK TRIGGERS IF YOU NEED TO🫶🏾
July 19, 2025
This book was so bad. All of the characters sucked and there were so many plot holes in the story. Also this book deals with some sensitive subject matter and they weren’t handled well in my opinion. Plus the ending. Wtf was that? Spoiler ahead: The main female character hadn’t even killed the character so the two other characters killed her for no reason. I think I am giving up on this author seeing as how I haven’t liked the majority of her books. Didn’t enjoy this one. Don’t recommend.
May 17, 2025
2 stars
I still love Lucinda Berry but this one didn't work for me. It was just too far fetched for me to believe.
I still love Lucinda Berry but this one didn't work for me. It was just too far fetched for me to believe.
July 23, 2025
I'm typically a Lucinda Berry fan, but I may need to rethink that because this book felt like a slap in the face.
The 2 stars are for the first half that resembled the blurb and which I actually enjoyed.
Laurel is a well-known psychologist specializing in addiction who agrees to participate in a reality TV show featuring former child actors going through rehab. One of the patients dies during filming, and Laurel appears to be the main suspect.
Laurel discovers there's something fishy going on and shares her suspicions with her wife, Noelle.
So far, so good, until the shit hit the metaphorical fan at 60% and I started muttering wtf and mentally rolling my eyes in exasperation.
Nothing after this point made a lick of sense.
BIG SPOILERS in tags:
I considered quitting but trudged through to the epilogue. I kept hoping the plot would change course, which might have redeemed the story to some degree, but it didn't.
I HATED the ending with a passion.
The 2 stars are for the first half that resembled the blurb and which I actually enjoyed.
Laurel is a well-known psychologist specializing in addiction who agrees to participate in a reality TV show featuring former child actors going through rehab. One of the patients dies during filming, and Laurel appears to be the main suspect.
Laurel discovers there's something fishy going on and shares her suspicions with her wife, Noelle.
So far, so good, until the shit hit the metaphorical fan at 60% and I started muttering wtf and mentally rolling my eyes in exasperation.
Nothing after this point made a lick of sense.
BIG SPOILERS in tags:
I considered quitting but trudged through to the epilogue. I kept hoping the plot would change course, which might have redeemed the story to some degree, but it didn't.
I HATED the ending with a passion.
May 14, 2025
This had nothing to do with reality TV as its described. So, if you're looking for that you'll be disappointed. Honestly, it was a total snoozefest, and I couldn't wait to be done with it.
June 18, 2025
THANKS FOR NOTHING 🫶🫶🫶
September 25, 2025
—— 3.25 ✰ stars. 💊🧠🩸
A bunch of child stars decide to get clean in front of an audience of millions for a new reality TV show—until one fateful night, where everything goes to shit.
This book is pure madness. Pure psychological madness. I usually gravitate away from heavily psychological books because I prefer my narrator to be reliable, but this book was definitely done very well. I saw that the author, Lucinda Berry, has a PhD. in psychology so I definitely think that contributed to the fact that this book was extremely well researched and well done.
I read this book on kindle and I had no idea that it was only about 200 pages. For me, it felt like 400+ because around 40% it stared getting horribly slow. The plot started to shift from reality TV intrigue to a heavily detective/police procedural plot. By the end it sorta redeemed itself, but most of the middle was quite disappointing.
This was by far the best premise for a thriller I've ever encountered, however it just didn't deliver as smoothly as I would have liked it too.
I have some conflicting thoughts about the ending. It's not a huge shocking reveal but it more leaves you with a horrifying sense of dread in your stomach. I liked it and hated it in equal measure and I think that was the point. This was certainly an interesting book and I definitely curious about looking into her other books.
A bunch of child stars decide to get clean in front of an audience of millions for a new reality TV show—until one fateful night, where everything goes to shit.
This book is pure madness. Pure psychological madness. I usually gravitate away from heavily psychological books because I prefer my narrator to be reliable, but this book was definitely done very well. I saw that the author, Lucinda Berry, has a PhD. in psychology so I definitely think that contributed to the fact that this book was extremely well researched and well done.
I read this book on kindle and I had no idea that it was only about 200 pages. For me, it felt like 400+ because around 40% it stared getting horribly slow. The plot started to shift from reality TV intrigue to a heavily detective/police procedural plot. By the end it sorta redeemed itself, but most of the middle was quite disappointing.
This was by far the best premise for a thriller I've ever encountered, however it just didn't deliver as smoothly as I would have liked it too.
I have some conflicting thoughts about the ending. It's not a huge shocking reveal but it more leaves you with a horrifying sense of dread in your stomach. I liked it and hated it in equal measure and I think that was the point. This was certainly an interesting book and I definitely curious about looking into her other books.
May 13, 2025
NAHHHH what is this 😭
May 25, 2025
change this book title to one in five because that’s how many stars it’s getting and it doesn’t even deserve that.
ooooh i’m pissed off after this one, friends. strap in.
this book…. was……. TRASH. completely unbelievable. completely unrealistic. completely unlikable. completely irredeemable.
i have read two other lucinda berry book (the perfect child, when she returned) (i thought i’d only read one, turns out it was two) which i also really disliked both, but i’ve heard so many good opinions about her other books and i am intrigued by some of the synopses, so why not?
this. book. SUCKED. turns out i hate berry’s writing style. she drags on for paragraphs at a time that are so dense they fill an entire kindle page with no breaks. her chapters are unnecessarily long. and she writes with an air of pretentiousness that makes me want to rip my eyeballs out.
i actually highlighted three or four sections in this book (which i rarely do) to denote what BS the writing was or how annoyed i was. why are you writing about addicts this way, berry?? like they’re these pathetic thoughtless children who need to be led like literal animals?
every. single. plot point she set up in this book was left like a spinning plate to crash to the floor and to never be actually resolved or useful in any way. THE ENTIRE PLOT SUMMARY SHE USES TO HOOK READERS IS A COMPLETE RED HERRING. this book isn’t about child stars in sober living and then the mystery surrounding a potential murder. if that’s the book you’re looking for, it ain’t here.
this is exactly what pissed me off when reading the perfect child— i thought it was such a good premise with real promise, but instead the plot did a 180° from what i expected and became stupid and ridiculous. that’s this book. stupid and ridiculous.
in an (assumed) attempt to speak on sobriety, addiction, and the ROOT OF THE TITLE, sexual assault, this book instead makes a mockery of all those things and the ending brings a new meaning to the words unresolved, frustrating, and poorly executed.
apparently, according to this novel, you can now use characters as complete scapegoats for the advancement of the entire plot, even if it makes no sense whatsoever and even if it means giving absolutely NO backstory or dimension to that character whatsoever. oh, and every single character sucks and is unlikable and has no believable motivations for their choices at all. no big deal right?
this is one of those rare books that truly strikes a nerve in me and makes me want to punt my kindle into the ocean.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS. even 238 pages is too long to dedicate to this garbage.
ooooh i’m pissed off after this one, friends. strap in.
this book…. was……. TRASH. completely unbelievable. completely unrealistic. completely unlikable. completely irredeemable.
i have read two other lucinda berry book (the perfect child, when she returned) (i thought i’d only read one, turns out it was two) which i also really disliked both, but i’ve heard so many good opinions about her other books and i am intrigued by some of the synopses, so why not?
this. book. SUCKED. turns out i hate berry’s writing style. she drags on for paragraphs at a time that are so dense they fill an entire kindle page with no breaks. her chapters are unnecessarily long. and she writes with an air of pretentiousness that makes me want to rip my eyeballs out.
i actually highlighted three or four sections in this book (which i rarely do) to denote what BS the writing was or how annoyed i was. why are you writing about addicts this way, berry?? like they’re these pathetic thoughtless children who need to be led like literal animals?
every. single. plot point she set up in this book was left like a spinning plate to crash to the floor and to never be actually resolved or useful in any way. THE ENTIRE PLOT SUMMARY SHE USES TO HOOK READERS IS A COMPLETE RED HERRING. this book isn’t about child stars in sober living and then the mystery surrounding a potential murder. if that’s the book you’re looking for, it ain’t here.
this is exactly what pissed me off when reading the perfect child— i thought it was such a good premise with real promise, but instead the plot did a 180° from what i expected and became stupid and ridiculous. that’s this book. stupid and ridiculous.
in an (assumed) attempt to speak on sobriety, addiction, and the ROOT OF THE TITLE, sexual assault, this book instead makes a mockery of all those things and the ending brings a new meaning to the words unresolved, frustrating, and poorly executed.
apparently, according to this novel, you can now use characters as complete scapegoats for the advancement of the entire plot, even if it makes no sense whatsoever and even if it means giving absolutely NO backstory or dimension to that character whatsoever. oh, and every single character sucks and is unlikable and has no believable motivations for their choices at all. no big deal right?
this is one of those rare books that truly strikes a nerve in me and makes me want to punt my kindle into the ocean.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS. even 238 pages is too long to dedicate to this garbage.
May 13, 2025
the setup…
Dr. Laurel Harlow has signed on as the therapist for a reality TV show where all the participants are former child stars. They’ve struggled with addiction and Laurel’s experience as a chemical dependency counselor is a great fit. But when one the participants suspiciously dies on camera, she soon becomes the focus of the police investigation.
the heart of the story…
Laurel’s approach to substance dependency is a bit different as she doesn’t agree with some of the AA approaches. She also had an alcohol dependency herself and has lived their reality. At the beginning, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story and struggled to find my way until things evened out. It soon becomes clear that she’s being set up as the fall guy for the death and when this takes a turn, it gets a bit diabolical.
the narration…
Saskia Maarleveld and Brittany Pressley are two favorites and were great here. Tessa Albertson is a new voice for me and made her character sympathetic and believable. I enjoyed the collective performances.
the bottom line…
There’s a then/now timeline with the narrator of “then” unidentified until nearly the end, which added some mystery and intrigue. That twisty turn had me in knots through the end. All I have to say is I want/need a sequel!!! Yes, I can use my imagination but I don’t want to.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Dr. Laurel Harlow has signed on as the therapist for a reality TV show where all the participants are former child stars. They’ve struggled with addiction and Laurel’s experience as a chemical dependency counselor is a great fit. But when one the participants suspiciously dies on camera, she soon becomes the focus of the police investigation.
the heart of the story…
Laurel’s approach to substance dependency is a bit different as she doesn’t agree with some of the AA approaches. She also had an alcohol dependency herself and has lived their reality. At the beginning, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story and struggled to find my way until things evened out. It soon becomes clear that she’s being set up as the fall guy for the death and when this takes a turn, it gets a bit diabolical.
the narration…
Saskia Maarleveld and Brittany Pressley are two favorites and were great here. Tessa Albertson is a new voice for me and made her character sympathetic and believable. I enjoyed the collective performances.
the bottom line…
There’s a then/now timeline with the narrator of “then” unidentified until nearly the end, which added some mystery and intrigue. That twisty turn had me in knots through the end. All I have to say is I want/need a sequel!!! Yes, I can use my imagination but I don’t want to.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
April 16, 2025
Thank you netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ebook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback
Publishes May 13 and will be available on Kindle Unlimited. It follows a chemical dependency counselor named Dr. Laurel Harlow who is working on a reality tv show following former childhood stars who are now overcoming addiction. One of the contestants ends up dead.
This book is mostly told in a linear timeline with a POV from an unknown person in a past timeline.
Unfortunately this book really didn’t do anything for me. It felt it was a lot of telling and very little showing. Beyond our FMC, I didn’t feel I knew much of anything about the characters and even the FMC’s backstory was pretty vague/minimal throughout. It sort of felt like half the book was missing where I would create a connection with the characters and their backstories.
It was very plot forward and had one of those endings I struggle with where everything is just explained at the end rather than building a puzzle throughout that clicks at the end.. if that makes sense.
I didn’t think this was a bad book and I actually appreciated some of heavier topics covered, but ultimately it just wasn’t for me.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjNeWfLH/
Publishes May 13 and will be available on Kindle Unlimited. It follows a chemical dependency counselor named Dr. Laurel Harlow who is working on a reality tv show following former childhood stars who are now overcoming addiction. One of the contestants ends up dead.
This book is mostly told in a linear timeline with a POV from an unknown person in a past timeline.
Unfortunately this book really didn’t do anything for me. It felt it was a lot of telling and very little showing. Beyond our FMC, I didn’t feel I knew much of anything about the characters and even the FMC’s backstory was pretty vague/minimal throughout. It sort of felt like half the book was missing where I would create a connection with the characters and their backstories.
It was very plot forward and had one of those endings I struggle with where everything is just explained at the end rather than building a puzzle throughout that clicks at the end.. if that makes sense.
I didn’t think this was a bad book and I actually appreciated some of heavier topics covered, but ultimately it just wasn’t for me.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjNeWfLH/
July 21, 2025
Not my fave from Lucinda berry but a quick read nonetheless! Ended up switching to audiobook and it kept my attention better.
May 13, 2025
I wanted to love this book, unfortunately, it went off the rails and just wasn't for me. This is my first book by Lucinda Berry and to say I was excited for the opportunity to read this arc is an understatement! I've heard that her books tend to be on the darker side, so I was prepared for that even though I prefer non-horror-ish stories. That wasn't the issue for me in this book. I know LB has a loyal following of readers, so I may be an outlier.
In a nutshell:
The premise starts off about a live, 24-7, cameras everywhere, reality tv show where ex-child stars are staying under the same roof to rehab them from whatever drug of choice they've become addicted to. Typical actors in hollywood gone wrong story, only this one was taking place on live tv. Sounds enticing, right? Well that's where that part of the story pretty much ends. Someone in the house ends up dead and the main suspect ends up being the therapist who treated all the ex-starlit's during their stay. But is she truly guilty or is she being framed? Laurel also has a dark past, but she escaped from it 13 years ago, turned her life around and devoted her career to helping others who found themselves in trouble with alcohol and drugs like she did. How could someone who's worked so hard to help people, end up killing someone?
Where it went wrong!
This is where Lucinda just lost me. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say that the middle became repetative in the way the MC talked, and the plot twists were just sooooo unbeliveable that I almost couldn't get through the last half of the book. *Side note: I'm told that my face says a lot more than my mouth sometimes. I wish I could show you my face at this point in the book, but I'll just leave you to your imagination.* And the "reasons" behind it all, (iykyk), didn't work for me. Honestly, I wanted more of the child stars, their individual backgrounds, what got them to this point, what crazy things have they all done, and let's see how they recover (or don't) while on the reality tv show. But that's not what this story ended up being about.
Here's where I began to struggle finishing:
That last 30% was so, so graphic, that I know I was squinting my eyes. Which seemed unnessesary to me. But that's just me, to each their own when it comes to gore. It felt severly over the top and the ending wasn't satisfying, at all. Not one bit. In fact, i think it was the worst ending of a thriller I've ever read. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you will be saying, WHAT JUST HAPPENED??? And NOT in a good way.
I just can't.
Unfortunately, this doesn't leave me wanting to jump into any other LB books at the moment. I may wait a while and give another of her books a try, but it will take me a while to get over this one. I feel like I need a cleansing. 🧼 😵💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the chance to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
I'm rating this 1.5 wine glasses, rounded up to 2. 🍷🍷
In a nutshell:
The premise starts off about a live, 24-7, cameras everywhere, reality tv show where ex-child stars are staying under the same roof to rehab them from whatever drug of choice they've become addicted to. Typical actors in hollywood gone wrong story, only this one was taking place on live tv. Sounds enticing, right? Well that's where that part of the story pretty much ends. Someone in the house ends up dead and the main suspect ends up being the therapist who treated all the ex-starlit's during their stay. But is she truly guilty or is she being framed? Laurel also has a dark past, but she escaped from it 13 years ago, turned her life around and devoted her career to helping others who found themselves in trouble with alcohol and drugs like she did. How could someone who's worked so hard to help people, end up killing someone?
Where it went wrong!
This is where Lucinda just lost me. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say that the middle became repetative in the way the MC talked, and the plot twists were just sooooo unbeliveable that I almost couldn't get through the last half of the book. *Side note: I'm told that my face says a lot more than my mouth sometimes. I wish I could show you my face at this point in the book, but I'll just leave you to your imagination.* And the "reasons" behind it all, (iykyk), didn't work for me. Honestly, I wanted more of the child stars, their individual backgrounds, what got them to this point, what crazy things have they all done, and let's see how they recover (or don't) while on the reality tv show. But that's not what this story ended up being about.
Here's where I began to struggle finishing:
That last 30% was so, so graphic, that I know I was squinting my eyes. Which seemed unnessesary to me. But that's just me, to each their own when it comes to gore. It felt severly over the top and the ending wasn't satisfying, at all. Not one bit. In fact, i think it was the worst ending of a thriller I've ever read. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you will be saying, WHAT JUST HAPPENED??? And NOT in a good way.
I just can't.
Unfortunately, this doesn't leave me wanting to jump into any other LB books at the moment. I may wait a while and give another of her books a try, but it will take me a while to get over this one. I feel like I need a cleansing. 🧼 😵💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the chance to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
I'm rating this 1.5 wine glasses, rounded up to 2. 🍷🍷
May 15, 2025
Wow! This will keep you on the edge of your seat! I was not expecting this to be so intense so this is your trigger warning. All the triggers honestly.
I'm a Big Brother fan and I love Lucinda Berry so when I heard about a reality show book, I was obviously on board immediately. It's sort of a Big Brother x Celebrity Rehab mashup.
The thing is, it's not about the show. I was expecting juicy reality tv goss and instead was met with a very serious book, which is great for me, but could be triggering for some people.
Laurel is a sober coach, working on Comeback Kids, a reality show about child stars getting sober. It's ethically insane. They're doing 24/7 live feeds of people detoxing. We're past that though and we're nearly to the end of the month when the sweetheart of the show, the young girl whose addiction has not yet destroyed her rep completely, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
This sets off an unbelievable chain of events. We are going through Laurel's past trauma as she is also in recovery, and through the trauma of another young woman who was victimized, although we don't know whom.
I found the story obviously wild, but a lot of the recovery parts and addiction feelings I found very valid as someone who struggled in their early adulthood as well. I could understand and feel their pain. Lucinda Berry is a master at telling difficult stories so I shouldn't have been surprised this was so dark.
It was amazing, I just want to give people a fair warning. This book has really made me think.
I'm a Big Brother fan and I love Lucinda Berry so when I heard about a reality show book, I was obviously on board immediately. It's sort of a Big Brother x Celebrity Rehab mashup.
The thing is, it's not about the show. I was expecting juicy reality tv goss and instead was met with a very serious book, which is great for me, but could be triggering for some people.
Laurel is a sober coach, working on Comeback Kids, a reality show about child stars getting sober. It's ethically insane. They're doing 24/7 live feeds of people detoxing. We're past that though and we're nearly to the end of the month when the sweetheart of the show, the young girl whose addiction has not yet destroyed her rep completely, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
This sets off an unbelievable chain of events. We are going through Laurel's past trauma as she is also in recovery, and through the trauma of another young woman who was victimized, although we don't know whom.
I found the story obviously wild, but a lot of the recovery parts and addiction feelings I found very valid as someone who struggled in their early adulthood as well. I could understand and feel their pain. Lucinda Berry is a master at telling difficult stories so I shouldn't have been surprised this was so dark.
It was amazing, I just want to give people a fair warning. This book has really made me think.
May 18, 2025
What the...... What did I just read? I've been in a reading slump, and this brought me right out of it. Very well developed characters, and they make you feel, from sympathy and hopefulness to outright disgust. And that ending, wow. Read this one folks.
May 25, 2025
✨Women had to be put together if they wanted to be taken seriously. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. But it was the patriarchy we lived in.✨
While this lost me a bit in the second half, I was still glad to have read my first Lucinda Berry & I cannot wait to read her backlist now!! And before I start my review, I'd like to warn you guys about checking the trigger warnings before picking this one cuz they're SA, self-harm, talk about addiction,...in there!
What can you expect -
🎬Murder mystery
🎬Reality TV setup (at the beginning)
🎬Dual timelines
🎬Commentary on addiction to alcoholism & drugs
🎬Hard-hitting truths & reveals
🎬Hint of survival thriller
We follow Dr. Laurel Harlow, the resident therapist of the reality tv show that showcases the recovery of seven former child stars from addiction. And when one of them dies, Laurel is forced to find the killer before all her secrets & pasts are revealed to the whole world.
This sounded so good on paper and that's why I picked it up but in theory, it lacked a bit on the thrilling side. And that's cuz I expected everything to happen on camera & for the contestants to be involved deep in the investigation & also in finding the truth but that wasn't the case as the spotlight is completely on Laurel from the start till the end. And I think it's on me for expecting something like 'And then there were none' in a reality tv format!!! If I had known it was not gonna be that concept, i think I would've liked this more!
Nevertheless I really liked the writing style of the author & the way she incorporated the impact of addiction on one's mental health & also how terrible the withdrawal can be. She also analyses the mindset of the people who get into alcohol & drugs, the situation that pushes them to that and how lonely their journey of recovery feels. And it really was hard to read about the things that these people endured, and even though I didn't connect with any of them tbh, I found it to be hard-hitting & emotional.
Overall, if you're looking for a mystery that also tackles some difficult topics, I'd recommend you to pick it up but go in with the right expectations or you might end up disappointed!
And if you're looking for a murder mystery with police investigation and one that's centered on the reality tv format & it's contestants as suspects, I'd instead recommend A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh.
While this lost me a bit in the second half, I was still glad to have read my first Lucinda Berry & I cannot wait to read her backlist now!! And before I start my review, I'd like to warn you guys about checking the trigger warnings before picking this one cuz they're SA, self-harm, talk about addiction,...in there!
What can you expect -
🎬Murder mystery
🎬Reality TV setup (at the beginning)
🎬Dual timelines
🎬Commentary on addiction to alcoholism & drugs
🎬Hard-hitting truths & reveals
🎬Hint of survival thriller
We follow Dr. Laurel Harlow, the resident therapist of the reality tv show that showcases the recovery of seven former child stars from addiction. And when one of them dies, Laurel is forced to find the killer before all her secrets & pasts are revealed to the whole world.
This sounded so good on paper and that's why I picked it up but in theory, it lacked a bit on the thrilling side. And that's cuz I expected everything to happen on camera & for the contestants to be involved deep in the investigation & also in finding the truth but that wasn't the case as the spotlight is completely on Laurel from the start till the end. And I think it's on me for expecting something like 'And then there were none' in a reality tv format!!! If I had known it was not gonna be that concept, i think I would've liked this more!
Nevertheless I really liked the writing style of the author & the way she incorporated the impact of addiction on one's mental health & also how terrible the withdrawal can be. She also analyses the mindset of the people who get into alcohol & drugs, the situation that pushes them to that and how lonely their journey of recovery feels. And it really was hard to read about the things that these people endured, and even though I didn't connect with any of them tbh, I found it to be hard-hitting & emotional.
Overall, if you're looking for a mystery that also tackles some difficult topics, I'd recommend you to pick it up but go in with the right expectations or you might end up disappointed!
And if you're looking for a murder mystery with police investigation and one that's centered on the reality tv format & it's contestants as suspects, I'd instead recommend A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh.
October 13, 2025
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Saskia Maarleveld
Tessa Albertson
Brittany Pressley
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Saskia Maarleveld
Tessa Albertson
Brittany Pressley
April 24, 2025
5⭐️ for me!!!
This is definitely up there with my favorite of Lucinda Berry’s books! Just like with all of her books, please check the trigger warnings! This book is DARK but written so well. There were multiple times while reading that I gasped out loud and made my poor husband listen to me explain my theories and the crazy things that were happening. I loved this book so much and could have never guessed some of the twists. My jaw is still on the floor
This is definitely up there with my favorite of Lucinda Berry’s books! Just like with all of her books, please check the trigger warnings! This book is DARK but written so well. There were multiple times while reading that I gasped out loud and made my poor husband listen to me explain my theories and the crazy things that were happening. I loved this book so much and could have never guessed some of the twists. My jaw is still on the floor
May 6, 2025
I have been wanting to read Lucinda Berry forever! I know that some of my bookstagram faves like @crimebythebook @gareindeedreads and @drink.read.repeat have been raving about her forever, so I am extra thankful that @booksparks sent a copy for me to check out for myself! #SRC2025
ONE IN FOUR begins with a premise that hooked me in from the beginning: a reality TV show featuring former child stars battling addiction in a controlled environment, but all recorded live for audience viewing. Dr. Laurel Harlow, the show's therapist, is tasked with keeping these troubled celebrities on the path to recovery. However, when one of the participants dies in a suspicious incident, the show takes a sharp turn. The novel captivates as Laurel navigates the ethically murky waters of exploiting vulnerable individuals for entertainment, while still genuinely caring for her patients.
The motives behind the "whodunnit" felt a bit over-the-top, but the twist in the second half was very unexpected. I also felt that this book was very personal and more of a drama than a typical thriller I would read. You can tell that the author wrote this book close to her heart. The dark and twisted ending certainly packs a punch, and I see a lot of mixed opinions on it, but I loved that it steered away from the typical story wrap-up. If you're a fan of fast-paced thrillers with plenty of drama and shocking twists, ONE IN FOUR is worth a read, but I want to read more Lucinda Berry novels before venturing into auto-read territory.
ONE IN FOUR begins with a premise that hooked me in from the beginning: a reality TV show featuring former child stars battling addiction in a controlled environment, but all recorded live for audience viewing. Dr. Laurel Harlow, the show's therapist, is tasked with keeping these troubled celebrities on the path to recovery. However, when one of the participants dies in a suspicious incident, the show takes a sharp turn. The novel captivates as Laurel navigates the ethically murky waters of exploiting vulnerable individuals for entertainment, while still genuinely caring for her patients.
The motives behind the "whodunnit" felt a bit over-the-top, but the twist in the second half was very unexpected. I also felt that this book was very personal and more of a drama than a typical thriller I would read. You can tell that the author wrote this book close to her heart. The dark and twisted ending certainly packs a punch, and I see a lot of mixed opinions on it, but I loved that it steered away from the typical story wrap-up. If you're a fan of fast-paced thrillers with plenty of drama and shocking twists, ONE IN FOUR is worth a read, but I want to read more Lucinda Berry novels before venturing into auto-read territory.
June 3, 2025
Not my favorite unfortunately
May 27, 2025
Literally what? It is not about a reality tv show with addicts. At all. It starts after the show has ended and then abandons the reality tv show plot a third of the way through and turns into a completely different plot. All she does is talk about how laurel is supposedly an addict but seems completely fine all the time and it is only used to make up a plot later and “connect” her to her patients and make it that she is the only one who understands them. Only finished because I was reading with others.
Also…”innocent people go to jail all the time, especially if they’re black. I know I’m not but it’s still a concern”…. What??? Why would you even mention how black people go to jail and are innocent all the time if you aren’t black lol
Also…”innocent people go to jail all the time, especially if they’re black. I know I’m not but it’s still a concern”…. What??? Why would you even mention how black people go to jail and are innocent all the time if you aren’t black lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand i think the writer is so good at writing deeply flawed, complex characters and it shows her psychology and research background. These characters feel like characters i would see where i work with adults with severe mental illness and i think the characters are written very well. I was interested in the plot until like 50 percent where it pivoted to another which was really triggering. It’s nothing the author did wrong it was just a lot of descriptive self harm, violence, body fluids, trauma, ptsd, revenge, kidnapping etc. it was kinda jarring and after the half way mark everything happened so fast and it felt like a huge spiral. Personally it wasn’t the violence or self harm that triggered me but the body fluid stuff phew.
I was very captivated by the book, i couldn’t stop reading and stood and read until i finished the book. So the plot is that the fmc is on a tv show and is the substance use sobriety psychologist. We have different patients and one dies and the police are investigating the fmc. Theres a present and post pov and it’s weird because the pov of the past just says her. Everything spirals and I’m not happy with the conclusion and ending of the book. Overall it’s unique and i just was left a little unsatisfied with the ending. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.
I was very captivated by the book, i couldn’t stop reading and stood and read until i finished the book. So the plot is that the fmc is on a tv show and is the substance use sobriety psychologist. We have different patients and one dies and the police are investigating the fmc. Theres a present and post pov and it’s weird because the pov of the past just says her. Everything spirals and I’m not happy with the conclusion and ending of the book. Overall it’s unique and i just was left a little unsatisfied with the ending. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.
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