Her First Lie

Hannah Bauer #.5

by Lucinda Berry

In this chilling prequel to The Perfect Child, USA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry plunges readers into the dark origins of a family’s secrets, where good intentions pave the road to unspeakable acts and a mother’s love might be the deadliest inheritance of all.

Becky Watson learned early that trust is a weapon and secrets are survival. From foster homes to abandoned backroads, she and her childhood confidant Orion have buried more than just memories. Now, as a college freshman, Becky’s harboring her most dangerous secret her newborn daughter, Janie.

Desperation drives Becky to contact her estranged grandmother, Lillian. She swoops in like a guardian angel, but her salvation comes with a poisoned price tag. Behind Lillian’s nurturing facade lurks a web of generational secrets. As buried truths claw their way to the surface, Becky faces an impossible sacrifice her daughter or herself to break a twisted family legacy.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Adult

283 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

USA 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.

Reviews

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I should reread The Perfect Child now

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOOOO GENERATIONAL TRAUMA IS REALLLLLLLL

Her First Lie is a dark psychological thriller prequel to The Perfect Child, following Becky Watson, a college freshman who hides a secret, surprise birth in her dorm room. Trying to escape her abusive past, she hides her daughter, Janie, while facing desperate circumstances, before turning to her estranged grandmother, whose help unveils dangerous, toxic generational secrets.

Ms. Lucinda Traumatise Everyone Berry is back with a prequel on one of my favourite books of hers EVER and you wouldn’t believe how quickly I digested this book in one go!

This prequel scratched a part of my brain that has been yearning for more Janie content since The Perfect Child and A Welcome Reunion.

Getting the origin of how Janie came to be and understanding and reading about Becky was such a euphoric experience.

In true Berry fashion this book is dark, disturbing and pitifully sad.

I think we can all agree that we want to go back and read “The Perfect Child” after this book. I’m sure I had a hatred for Janie’s mum when reading the perfect child but after “Her First Lie”, I get it Becky… I really do!

I want to spill my guts about this book but that would be ruining it so all I’m going to say is you need to PICK THIS UP! It doesn’t matter which order you read it in, but if I had the option to choose I would still go with reading TPC first.

Now to you Ms. Berry… I don’t want to stress you out, but if you think I am not going to campaign for more Janie mayhem then you haven't seen nothing yet. I don’t care whether you must write about Janie and her life as a teenager, a mother, a grandmother… damn I will even take a book about her while she was in the womb…. I JUST NEED MORE JANIE!! That girl has positioned herself comfortable in my brain and needs to be fed!




4.5 ⭐




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
My obsession with the The Perfect Child by this author is unmatched!
I am so excited to finally be reading this prequel!
I just know its going to hit sooo differently!
🩷🖤🩷🖤

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and Lucinda Berry for providing me with an audible arc

[Abbie Konnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts | 4.5 ⭐️
This should have been published before The Perfect Child! Lucky for Lucinda I haven't forgotten about that book since I picked it up two years ago lol! I've read almost all of this author's books; three or four left, so maybe this is too early to say but you know when you read something from an author and it's like nothing can top THAT read, the 3 books evolving around these characters are exactly that but as I said I still have a few more so I don't wanna get ahead of myself lol mind you her rencet audiobook "This is a Safe Space" was really good too! This so good, so unhinged and messed up lol but so good and for those wondering it DOES in fact get worse in "The Perfect Child

Plot Summary
Becky has always relied on secrets to survive, and now as a university student she’s hiding her biggest one yet—her newborn daughter. When she reaches out to her estranged grandmother for help, it seems like a lifeline, but it soon comes with unsettling strings attached. As buried family secrets begin to surface, Becky is forced to face a heartbreaking choice that could cost her everything.

My Bookstagram

[Mandy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

**edit: I won’t change my rating for Her First Lie, but after reading The Perfect Child after this one, I’m frustrated by the major plot hole between the two books. Her First Lie focuses solely on Becky and Janie’s first years, but The Perfect Child has a completely different “Becky’s mom” and makes Her First Lie make no sense ☹️

Her First Lie 4.5⭐️

Her First Lie is a prequel to The Perfect Child (which I admittedly haven’t read yet, but I’m planning to listen to the audiobook next). Lucinda Berry is one of those authors that does a perfect job sucking me into her storytelling.

This is told from present day Becky’s POV, Becky’s past, and the current day investigators. The generational abuse and neglect are strong in this book. In typical Berry style-there are triggering scenes and topics. As frustrated as I found myself with Becky, my heart also broke for her. She made unbelievably bad decisions, but it made sense given her trauma. Whether you’ve already read The Perfect Child or not, I recommend diving into this one!

Pub Date Apr 21 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

[_blondebooknerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley eARC book review. Thank you to NetGalley, Lucinda Berry, and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I AM UNWELL. Lucinda Berry Just Ruined Me (Again). 🔪🩸✨

I am throwing my five stars up in the air and letting them rain down like psychological confetti because Her First Lie absolutely wrecked me—in the best way. After a string of very “meh” January reads, this book showed up and said, “Oh, you forgot what obsessed feels like?” Excuse me?? I was HOOKED. 🎣🔥 When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it; when I had to stop, I was annoyed about it. I needed to know what was going to happen next. That constant mental itch? That’s elite thriller behavior. 🧠💥

So what’s the chaos? 👀

Becky Watson learned early that trust is a weapon and secrets are survival. Foster homes. Abandoned backroads. A childhood confidant named Orion. Memories buried deeper than they should be. 🕳️🌒 Now she’s a college freshman hiding her most dangerous secret yet: Her newborn daughter, Janie. 👶🖤 Let’s just sit with that. A newborn. In secret. As a freshman. Immediate anxiety. 😰

Desperate, she reaches out to her estranged grandmother, Lillian—who swoops in like a perfectly curated guardian angel. 😇 And if Lucinda Berry hands you a nurturing grandmother? You do not relax. 🚩 Behind that warmth? Generational secrets. Manipulation. A twisted legacy that refuses to die. 🕸️🩸 When the truth starts clawing its way up? SHOOK. 😳🔥

The Vibes ✨

Tense. Addictive. Suffocating in that slow-burn way. That creeping feeling that something is deeply wrong—but you can’t see the whole picture yet. 🫣 Lucinda Berry writes trauma and dysfunction like she has a PhD in emotional damage. It’s unsettling. It’s human. It’s layered. You feel for Becky even while questioning her choices, you worry for Janie constantly, and you side-eye Lillian from page one. 👀 It’s messy. It’s dark. It’s brilliant. 💎

Do you need to read The Perfect Child first? 📚

Nope. This is a prequel. You can absolutely go in blind. It might even hit harder that way. That said? It’s been YEARS since I read The Perfect Child and I am immediately going back. Because apparently I enjoy suffering. 🖤

Final Thoughts 🌟

Five stars. No complaints. All praise. 🙌 Another bestseller incoming for Dr. Berry—I would bet money on it. 💰 April 21, 2026. 🗓️ Clear your schedule. You’re going to want to binge this one. 🩸📚 Now excuse me while I go voluntarily reread trauma.

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only open a Lucinda Berry book when I’m ready to be TRAUMATIZED and this delivered. I didn’t even realize it was apart of The Perfect Child universe until I started reading and I got so excited. Janie’s origin story! It is every bit as twisted and uncomfortable as you’d imagine it to be. I couldn’t put it down. This provides so much insight into the later story and I 100% recommend the read if you’re a fan of The Perfect Child.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc

[Christina C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Her First Lie is the prequel to The Perfect Child. Lucinda Berry is a fabulous author who writes intense, emotionally charged stories that make you feel all kinds of emotions. This story focuses on Becky, exploring her childhood and how those experiences shape the way she raises her daughter.

The novel deals with heavy themes such as child abuse and neglect, which may be difficult for some readers. Overall, it’s a powerful read.

I finished this in 1 day. Really hard to put down

[Holly Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I like Lucinda Berrys books and I really enjoyed The Perfect child so I was excited for a prequel.

The reason I gave this only one stars was because of all the inconsistencies.

In The Perfect Child, Janie was found near a trailer park covered in her mom's blood. Becky was found dead in a closet and was using Janie to commit fraud for false cancer diagnosis.
Janie's supposed to be like 7?
Janie is fostered by a surgeon and his wife . He is an idiot and ignores all red flags and completely ignores his wife's concerns until it's almost too late and Janie almost kills his son and wife.
They also talk about interviews with Beckys mom, Sue Watson. She's in prison and talks about what a nightmare Janie was. That she watched Janie for 2 years because Becky was strung out.
It's revealed that Janie killed her mom.

In Her First Lie, Becky didn't know she was pregnant and had Janie randomly in her dorm room.
Becky and Janie moved around a bit but Janie was a nightmare and Becky locked her in a closet a few times. Both girls got held prisoner by Becky grandmother, Lillian.
It is revealed that Becky had killed her mom, Cerena, because she was severally abusive. Becky then had to kill her grandmother to escape her.
Becky then left Janie at a Wal-Mart parking lot because she knew she couldn't take care of Janie and ran off with the guy who helped her cover up her the murder of Cerena.
Janie is supposed to be a toddler I think?


So yeah, maybe the author should reread her own books before writing a prequel so things line up?

[Lisa Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucinda doesn't disappoint!!

[Maria Caraballo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 stars for my girl!!! I learned a lot about Janie from the story!! I’m really hoping that maybe we can hear a little bit more about Becky in future book 😉😉

[Kelliann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated getting Janie’s backstory in this prequel to The Perfect Child, but wow – this one is heavy. The novel traces her life from birth and dives into generational trauma, graphic child abuse, and a deeply flawed foster care system.

It’s dark, disturbing, and often depressing, but the context it provides adds so much depth to Janie’s character and makes the main novel hit even harder.

A must-read for fans of The Perfect Child 🖤

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC ❤️

[Joshua Waselynchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from Netgalley. This story is a prequel to "The Perfect child" which I absolutely loved. We follow Becky, Janie's mom who didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth to Janie. She is in college and scared so she hides Janie from the world while she figures things out.
You start to see the origins from Janie being how she was in the perfect child.

We get back story of Becky's mom who abused her and the effects of that trauma that leads to some very heavy themes throughout the book.

There was a third storyline that was happening with a detective uncovering a murder that I felt didn't do much for the story, just for me.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and liked being back in this universe of Janie.

[Jill Power · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok in my opinion. I liked that we got more of Janie’s back story as well as Becky’s but I can’t over look the giant elephant in the room. In case you missed it in “The Perfect Child” they found Becky’s mom in jail and she said she raised Janie cause Becky was a drug addict but in this book Becky killed her mom well before Janie was born colour me confused but that makes absolutely no sense. I wish the books lined up better. I’m slightly disappointed with this but I will happily read more books about Janie any day.

[Jessica Nason · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars.

I really enjoyed The Perfect Child, so getting this prequel felt like stepping back into something I already knew was going to be intense and it definitely was.

I’ll be honest, part of me wishes I had read this before The Perfect Child. I think it would have added even more depth to Janie’s character going in, but at the same time, I understand why it was written and released the way it was. Knowing what we already know about her somehow makes this hit even harder.

This was not an easy read. There were moments that were genuinely uncomfortable and hard to sit with, especially seeing the early signs of who Janie becomes. It adds a whole new layer to her story, but wow… it’s a lot. Lucinda Berry does such a good job getting inside these characters’ heads that it almost feels too real at times.

And honestly, I don’t know if I can read anything else about this child because she genuinely scares me. Like, deeply unsettling, stick-with-you kind of scary. Which, to be fair, just shows how well this was written.

If you loved The Perfect Child, this is definitely worth picking up just be prepared, because it’s heavy, disturbing, and not something you can easily shake off.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

So in this book we meet baby Janie, Her First Lie is the prequel to the “The Perfect Child”, so if you haven’t picked up that one definitely check it out first.

Becky has no idea she is pregnant when she finds herself delivering her baby girl. Single and struggling through college she decides to keep the baby a secret, but this only lasts so long, and when she finds herself in a worrying situation with Janie in the hospital she decides to phone the grandmother she has never met for help.

There’s a lot going on in this one, we have Becky’s current story, an insight into the past and a side police investigation that is looking into a foster home. I do admit that I didn’t really connect with the side story in this one, but I was really invested in Becky’s character and baby “Janie”. In Berry’s usual style this one was dark, and all in all this turned out to be a prequel I didn’t know I needed.

[Sumi Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Lucinda Berry has done it again!! She made me call out sick because I knew I wouldn’t be a productive member of the working society.

The creation of Chucky 2.0! Getting Janie’s backstory puts everything in place for The Perfect Child. Nothing beats a great psychological thriller where everyone is so far gone that the only thing you can do is keep your hand over your mouth because that will be your reaction during this entire book. Just leave your hand over your mouth! Don’t move it! Little Chucky 2.0 learned from the best on being bad 🤣.

5⭐️

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

HER FIRST LIE, the prequel to THE PERFECT CHILD gives readers insight into how Hannah became so disturbed. Born to teenager Becky Watson, Hannah never attached to her mom. Becky, who never knew she was pregnant until she gave birth, kept her baby hidden for two years. Becky had been a product of child abuse which continued after she went into foster care. Though she learned no mothering skills, she loved Hannah. Always trying to do her best, which sometimes included leaving her baby in her dorm closet while attending classes.

Despite Becky’s often questionable decision making skills, I had more empathy for her than all the characters on the Hannah series combined. Becky’s heart was in the right place and she loved Hannah unconditionally. I adore children but found nearly nothing lovable or even likable about her. Manipulation appeared to be her first developmental milestone, her behavior usually purposefully hurtful.

The worst things Becky did were in self-defense and/or defense of those weaker than her, including Hannah.

After reading HER FIRST LIE, I immediately started rereading THE PERFECT CHILD to see how the new insights changed my reading experience.

[Sara Stone Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a good read but there were definitely some plot holes in my opinion. I loved that it was a quick read, kept me on the edge, getting to know more of Janies background, however, it definitely felt like the plot of the story changed points from the Perfect Child. Over all, I would still reccomend this one if you enjoy the Perfect Child and A Welcome Reunion. If there are ever anymore stories written about Janie, I will 100% read them all.

[Sam * S · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐ because it's not my preferred subject matter. I hated this so much, but also had to know what was going to happen. I'm not someone who needs trigger warnings, but this was too dark and twisted, even for me. Books that involve kids being hurt are not my cup of coffee.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many plot holes

[Katie Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley. I enjoyed the story, but there were a few plot holes. In The Perfect Child, either Piper or the police track down Becky's mom in jail. She claimed that she had raised Janie due to Becky being an addict. But here we find out that Becky's mom is dead & that Becky never had a drug problem. It's not a huge issue, but just enough to bug me. It's still a good story & I did enjoy it.

[Caitlin Van Dette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ultimate villain origin story, no wonder Janie turned out the way she did. Read it in one sitting and I already have to restart it to fully grasp the masterful web Lucinda Berry has spun. Generational trauma does such a number on everyone involved.

This book broke me in ways I can’t even describe. Utterly devastating 10/10❤️

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

[ritα ⏾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
I really liked this prequel. It was very interesting to know about Becky’s background (Janie’s mother), and what really happened before Janie was adopted. I definitely was not expecting that!!
I love Lucinda’s books, and I really enjoy The Perfect Child universe (I’m all about creepy kids lol).
Overall, a good read.

[Laura Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooooh I had no idea this was a series! How lucky am I to jump into book 0.5. I’m so excited to pick up The Perfect child next. I felt her first lie kind of left me wanting more so imagine my joy when I now know how I can spend my next weekend diving into more! Give me all the psycho children and their antics lol.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love! Love! Love! Gimme more right now!! I would definitely recommend reading The Perfect Child before diving into this one. Lucina Berry can write the best gripping psychological thrillers. There was no putting this book down once I picked it up.

This book follows Becky and her daughter Janie. Becky had a horrible, traumatic, abusive childhood, so when she unexpectedly gives birth in her college dorm room, she’s determined to be a better mother than what she had and provide the best life for Janie. There’s only one problem, she doesn’t want anyone to know about Janie, because she’s afraid they will take her away. She keeps Janie a secret for most of the world until Janie starts displaying abnormal behaviors.

At the same time, we get a pov from a detective who is investigating a case where they keep uncovering bodies at an old foster house. The more the investigation continues, the more it ties into Becky and her childhood friend Orion.

When things get too much for Becky to handle, she calls her grandmother to come help her. But will her grandmother be her and Jamie’s saving grace, or will all the horror stories Becky’s mom told her about her grandmother be true?

This is a heavy read. It will pull at your heart strings, make you angry, and devastate you all at the same time. Lucinda Berry does a phenomenal job at pulling out every single emotion. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25. This is the prequel to The Perfect Child where we met Janie and her story starting in childhood. In Her First Lie, we learn about Janie’s birth, her mother, and how she came to be the way she is.

After reading The Perfect Child in 2024, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. What a wild story! When I saw that the prequel was coming, I couldn’t have been more excited. I needed to know why Janie is the way she is. What I didn’t expect was for this to be such a hard read (emotionally) and while I know that child abuse is a trigger for me, I still needed to know the story. This was so heartbreaking and insightful. I couldn’t put down this fast paced mess with twists I didn’t see coming. This delved into both Janie and her mother in a way that didn’t leave many questions yet I still feel confused because humans never fail to shock me. If you enjoyed The Percect Child, this is a must read!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Lucinda Berry, and Thomas & Mercer for providing this free E-ARC. This publishes on April 21st. This is my honest review!

[Dionndra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This prequel to The Perfect Child follows Becky, a college student hiding a dangerous secret, her newborn daughter. Desperate and overwhelmed, she turns to her estranged grandmother for help, but what seems like a solution quickly unravels deeper family secrets. As her past begins to surface, Becky is forced to confront difficult choices that will shape both her future and her child’s.

I did enjoy The Perfect Child, so it was interesting to go back and read the origin story behind everything. I liked getting more insight into Becky and seeing her try to navigate motherhood at such a young age. You really see how her past and childhood trauma shaped who she is and how she parents.

If you’ve read any Lucinda Berry books, you know this is very on brand for her. The story carries heavy themes, especially around trauma, and it really shows throughout Becky’s journey. It was interesting to get the backstory and see how things unfolded.


Rating: 3.0

[Ashley Frieler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crazy ride

[Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucinda has done it again!

I read an ARC copy of her new book, Her First Lie, from NetGalley.

The book releases April 21, and you’re going to want to get your hands on it!

The book is the prequel to The Perfect Child, which I read back in 2019. And honestly, I didn’t like that book much. But I know a lot of people did.

But Her First Lie is Lucinda after years of writing. It’s dark. It’s capitvating. And it will keep you turning the pages and totally understanding why Janie is so messed up.

Check your triggers, then get your hands on this one ASAP. I gave it five stars.