Her First Lie: A Thriller

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

283 pages, Paperback

Expected publication 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

[Laura Lovesreading]

My obsession with the The Perfect Child by this author is unmatched!
I am so excited for this prequel!
I just know its going to hit sooo differently!
🩷🖤🩷🖤

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction )]

We're getting more of Janie!!!! Omfg I'm so ecstatic -- the perfect child was everything!!!!! If this isn't another 5 star I'm gonna riot please please don't mess it up I'm begging 😭

[_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.

[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

[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

[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.

[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.

[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

[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!

[Hannah's Biblioblurbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars)

If you loved The Perfect Child, then RUN — don’t walk — to grab this prequel. 🏃‍♀️💨

This story takes us deep into Janie’s past and unpacks the chilling chain of events that lead right up to where The Perfect Child begins. And wow… it adds so much depth. 👀

Lucinda Berry’s firsthand background in childhood trauma really shows here. The emotional weight feels real. Heavy. Unsettling. The kind of book that pulls you in so completely you forget you’re reading fiction. 🧠💔

Fair warning: you might need a fluffy rom-com or cozy mystery as a palette cleanser afterward. I know I do. 😅📚

✨ What I Loved:

Getting long-awaited answers about Janie

The satisfying way it ties everything together

The light past vs. present shifts (super easy to follow!)

This was exactly what I wanted in a prequel — meaningful, layered, and a solid wrap-up that enhances the original story instead of just riding its coattails.

If you’re already in the Berry universe… this one’s a must. 🔥

Thanks to Netgalley, Lucinda Berry, and Thomas & Mercer publishers for the ARC and chance to give my honest feedback!

[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.

[Meagan Beal · Rating 5 out of 5]

JANIES BACK!!! I ran when I saw we were getting a prequal to The Perfect Child. (One of my all-time favorite thrillers) Janies Origin story start off in a college dormitory, with a young woman just trying to survive and do better for herself. Her First Lie is so intense and starts with a bang and doesn't stop the whole time. We get to meet the people that shaped Janie for the first couple years of her life, and to say the least I'm not surprised by the way she acted. I liked that we got the back and forth of Beckys life, and with other POVS. This all wrapped around to the sequel A Welcome Reunion, where we see Janie as an adult! This is not a light read, Lucinda Berry writes characters that feel so real and with things you can see in real life! You can't help but feel for them and hope for them! I couldn't put this book down; I just had to see what came next and the never-ending hope I had for them!!!
4.5*




Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Her First Lie – Lucinda Berry

This was an instant one-sitting read for me because I physically could not put it down. From the very beginning, Lucinda Berry throws us straight into Becky’s life, a young woman who escaped her abusive mother years ago, now a college student suddenly blindsided by giving birth to a baby girl she didn’t even know she was carrying.

Desperate and overwhelmed, Becky reaches out to her estranged grandmother, who appears almost too eager to step in like a guardian angel. But this is Lucinda Berry… and if there’s one thing we know, it’s that no character is ever as perfect as they seem.

I really felt for Becky and the impossible situation she’s navigating, even while questioning some of her choices. The story is chaotic, messy, and emotionally tense exactly the kind of unsettling character-driven drama Berry excels at. It was undeniably gripping and wildly compelling.

[Melissa Suslowicz Bartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow and wow!!!!! I’m totally speechless. I had so many emotions while reading this one. It definitely completed this series. I’m warning you now put Kleenex next to you. You will 100% need it. Some parts of this book were very hard to read. There were many sensitive topics in this one. I’m lucky I don’t get triggered easily. So I don’t even know where to begin with this one. This was the prequel to this series and finally we got the missing pieces to the puzzle of this little girl and her family. You now understood how it all begin and boy it was not pretty. You did get bits and pieces throughout each of this series books but not like this one. I absolutely loved having a full story. I also would recommend to skim through the other books to refresh your memory. All in all I would highly recommend this book and author. Her books are great and so is she. She is definitely on my Top Ten favorite author list and so are all her books. I can’t wait to read more from her.

[Vito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucinda Berry is back with a new novel in the Perfect Child universe. “Her First Lie” takes us to the beginning and it’s a great start to a traumatic series.

This prequel is twistier and more well rounded than what comes next — I enjoyed my time trying to understand what caused Janine to become the little devil that she is in the sequel and series. It’s a hard job to humanize her and her family but Berry does a good job overall. This mother’s love ultimately does more harm than good but what is it that they say about the road to hell?

For those that may have read the Perfect Child you probably think you know where this is heading — in the wise words of Alyssa Edwards of Drag Race, “you ain’t seen nothing yet!”

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Perfect Child, so I was excited to go back and see where it all started — and WOW! Lucinda Berry truly has a talent for writing the most unsettling children in the best way. It’s honestly impressive how she makes you feel sympathy and dread at the same time.

What I loved most about this prequel is how much backstory we get. Not just on Janie, but on Becky (Janie's bio mom) and even Becky’s mom. Seeing the generational layers added so much depth. It makes everything that happens later feel even more disturbing because you start to see how long this cycle has been building.

If you like psychological thrillers that dig into family secrets, generational trauma, and morally messy motherhood this one delivers. And somehow it makes The Perfect Child even darker once you know the full story.

[Reisa Bolog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! First favorite book of the year! I was so happy to receive this from NetGalley and immediately devoured it!!! This is a prequel to the perfect child and can be read as a standalone. Beginning with a surprise pregnancy the book takes many twist and turns. I was fully invested in all story lines and loved it! I’m going to reread the perfect child now to fully absorb what I just read.
Check your triggers, child abuse, SA (not in graphic detail)

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I was very interested in reading about Janie’s origin story after reading the rest of the series. This book was tragic, as Berry’s books usually are. I was hooked on the story and absolutely disgusted by it at the same time. You’re killing us, Lucinda. Maybe throw in a happy puppy next time?

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

[Asha Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW!

This book was crazy at every single turn. This backstory is extremely beneficial after reading The Perfect Child. I was in constant shock through the whole thing and now we have answers to why Janie is the way she is and how her upbringing contributed to that.

[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 ❤️

[Maria Escatel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced readers copy.

This is the prequel of “The perfect child”.
This tells us the backstory of Becky & how the way she was raised and all the trauma and abuse she faced - ultimately shaped the way her daughter (Janie) the little girl in the book the perfect child turned out to be.

It was a heavy read.
Hard to put down.

[Marisol Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Janie, Sweet Janie. As expected Dr Berry did not disappoint!! With this Prequel to The Perfect Child we get a glimpse into why Janie is well Janie. That ending left me feeling a mix of emotions. I read it in one day, thank you Netgalley and Lucinda Berry for the ARC, I feel I need to read it again, to properly revel in the chaos and so I will.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝑩𝒂𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏...𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐? 𝑾𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕."

THE PERFECT CHILD is my all-time favorite book from this author, and this chilling prequel focuses on the origins of a family shaped by secrecy and survival. Becky Watson has spent her life learning that trust can be dangerous, lessons forged in foster homes and unstable childhoods. Now a college freshman, Becky is hiding a life-altering secret: her newborn daughter, Janie. With no safe options left, she reaches out to her estranged grandmother, Lillian, hoping for stability and support, unaware of how deeply that decision will entangle her in her family’s past.

The sharp realism present in every work by this author comes from her former career in psychology. She easily paints a picture of such vivid, horrific generational trauma and abuse. Becky’s internal world is shaped by what she has endured, and the novel shows how early harm quietly rewires decision making and self-worth. Told in dual timelines, the tension builds through the exploration of both inherited fear and the unspoken rules passed down through families rather than relying on gratuitous violence. The author allows the unease to develop gradually, making the reader feel the weight of history pressing in on every choice Becky makes. The chapters with her mother were especially difficult to read although wholly vital to the story.

This was a stunning, impactful five star read. As a prequel, it adds vital context to THE PERFECT CHILD, and I strongly suggest reading this book after as intended as I think the visceral reaction will be so much stronger. This author is not known for her happy endings, but you will come away with a greater understanding of how cycles of abuse are formed and how difficult they are to escape, especially when love and survival are intertwined. Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for this early copy. This book will publish April 21, 2026.

[Marly Mcastocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucinda Berry is not an author I read for comfort. Her books are intense, unsettling, and often heart-racing; the kind of psychological thrillers that lean into worst-case scenarios and don’t look away. That said, what keeps me coming back is that her stories feel psychologically informed. As a former child psychologist, she writes trauma in a way that feels researched and intentional, even when the content is sensational and deeply disturbing.

Her First Lie is a prequel to The Perfect Child (which I now feel obligated to buy, since it’s clearly part of a larger, very dark puzzle). The story follows Beatrice, AKA Becky, moving between her present life and a childhood marked by an abusive mother, time in foster care, and long-lasting emotional scars. In the present timeline, Becky gives birth to a baby she didn’t know she was pregnant with, and the shock of sudden motherhood forces her to confront a terrifying fear: that she might become the kind of mother she survived.

With painful clarity, Berry captures this internal comparison of how Becky measures her own parenting against her mother’s cruelty. Becky is unraveling, trying to do better, and terrified that damage is inherited rather than learned. A supporting friendship offers some grounding, but the past keeps pressing in.

There’s also a police POV following a cold case involving bones discovered in the backyard of a former foster home. You know it’s connected; you just don’t yet know how. While the thread adds unease, I found it less compelling than Becky’s storyline and wished it were either more developed or more fully integrated.

This was a fast, gripping read- dark, emotionally heavy, and difficult to put down. Her First Lie won’t be for everyone, but if you appreciate psychological thrillers that engage with trauma in a way that feels plausible rather than purely shock-driven, this one is worth the ride.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #ThomasMercer for the ARC

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Her First Lie
Series: Prequel to “The Perfect Child”
Author: Lucinda Berry
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Pub Date: April 21, 2026
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Pages: 283

Becky Watson was raised by Cerena a bipolar abusive mother. Story is told then as well as the countless foster homes where she lived.

Story starts when Becky is in college on scholarship but still works at McDonald’s as the scholarship doesn’t cover all costs.
She applied to be a RA and is pleased her application was accepted as she has a single room plus it has a small bathroom. Her social activities have been limited however was out with friends several months ago and had a hook up. Now months later she has giving birth and didn’t know she was pregnant, she is secretly housing her newborn daughter Janie in her dorm room. She does not want her to grow up the foster care system but how can she care for her?

I haven’t yet read the other stories in this series but this story was so disturbing it is difficult for me to want to read more right now. True I was curious and it kept me interested.
However, it is hard for me say it was an enjoyable read.

This is my seventh Lucinda Berry novel. My first was The Best of Friends which I loved it and became a Lucinda Berry fan!
Lucinda Berry is a former psychologist and a leading researcher in childhood trauma. Needless to say, she has and is using her clinical experience to her fiction stories.
If you would like to receive her newsletter and/or read about her, you can reach her at
https://lucindaberry.com

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 21, 2026

[Britney Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read by Lucinda Berry!

Her First Lie is coming out on April 21st 2026 and I am so ecstatic to be able to read an ARC copy and leave a review for you all. Lucinda Berry is one of my favorite authors of all time and if you’ve never checked her out please do so.

This book is the prequel to The Perfect Child. Where we were first introduced to Janie, a troubled 6 year old abandoned at a local Walmart covered in blood, scabs and scars, wearing only a heavily soiled diaper. A must read!

Now we get the story from the beginning of Janie’s life from birth to being abandoned. The story of the people who shaped her into the child we read about in The Perfect Child.

We are introduced to the people she had in her life from birth till 6 and see how their actions shaped her to be the Janie we all know. We hear of her mother and her childhood and more of what happened in the past.

We hear of the call to Gloria which had my jaw on the floor once it all started tying in so perfectly together from what we read in The Perfect Child.

I just really enjoyed this read from the beginning till the very end. It really touches on some family struggles and the way it shapes them to be in the future.

I do recommend reading The Perfect Child and the sequel to The Perfect Child called A Welcome Reunion before reading Her First Lie. All 3 are five star reads for me!

Thank you to #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

#LucindaBerry #HerFirstLie #ThePerfectChild #netgalley

[buzy_reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Human remains were found on an abandoned foster home property flagged for new development. Investigators were sent to the property to identify the bodies.
…
Becky grew up in an abused environment living with an unfit mother. Becky wanted a better life for herself. During her first year of college she had a baby. Becky wasn’t aware she was pregnant so she hid the baby. Becky kept Janie hidden for a few years until she asked for help. Little did Becky know that there was something wrong with the women in her family.
…
I’m no stranger to Lucinda Berry’s work. In fact, when she releases a new book I tend to one-click before reading the premise. That’s where I went wrong with this book. I should’ve investigated prior to reading. Once I realized this was the prequel to The Perfect Child it made sense and it also had me wanting to reread that book. I have to ask myself, “did I need a more in-depth story about Becky?” No, I never considered a prequel. It’s not grabbing ahold of me like a thriller should. I found the backstory to be long and arduous. Alternating the timelines didn’t help keep me centered in the story.
…
We meet Janie in The Perfect Child where she exhibits destructive behavior. The pattern of abuse was taught from generation to generation. Becky wanted to break the cycle, unfortunately Becky couldn’t control her dark thoughts fearing she might hurt her baby. Despite Becky’s efforts Janie grew to become a disobedient person testing Becky’s abilities on a day-to-day basis.

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever doubted if you were a good mom, well, do I have a book for you! Lucinda Berry fans rejoice, this is Berry at her absolute best!

Our story starts out with Becky giving birth in her college dorm- she just thinks she is having the worst constipation of her life- nope, it is a baby. Then she keeps the baby secret for 2 years. She names her Janie and, as one would expect, she has some trouble managing life as a college student and secret mom. Also, she was relentlessly abused growing up in every possible manner, so she has no examples of good parenting to live by.

There are some interstitials from a detective trying to determine who are the bodies he is finding buried in shallow graves around a long-time notorious foster care home that was investigated multiple times for physical and sexual abuse allegations. Fun times!

When all is lost, Becky finds her grandmother Lillian who will solve all her problems. But what will she give up in return?

Wow, this one is crazy. Lots of drama. I read that the author has a background in childhood trauma, so I know these situations exist and this explains why she writes them so realistically. The book has great pacing and is really easy to follow, even with the time jumps and multiple POV. I was really riveted and read it in one sitting! Despite her faults, I was rooting for Becky and Orion and hoping they could overcome their circumstances. Don't judge people!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. Book to be published April 21, 2026

[Chellsvibes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucinda Berry once again delivers an incredible story. If her past books pulled you in, this one will too. Her stories never go easy on you, and neither does this one. Her First Lie is a companion novel to The Perfect Child, taking us deeper into Janie’s life and who she was before. This story is tragic, heartbreaking, and filled with heavy themes of abuse and trauma. There are many trigger warnings, so readers should go in prepared. Her stories never go easy on you, and neither does this one.
Even with all the darkness, this book also carries hope, love, and understanding. It shows why each person becomes who they are, How their past shapes them, and how trauma holds onto you long after it happens. This was emotional, heavy, and haunting, definitely not for the faint of heart. Dark and raw in every way.
Her First Lie pulls you into a darkness you cannot shake. You walk in prepared and still get wrecked. It is emotionally brutal, but impossible to put down. Each character’s story is felt deeply, even when you do not fully understand their choices. This book stays with you long after the last page. If you’ve read her other books, you already know to be prepared. Trust her storytelling, it never misses. For fans of dark emotional reads, this one delivers. You walk in prepared and still get wrecked.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThBMbHHm/

[TheNovelNomad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her First Lie is a chilling and emotionally grounded prequel that deepens the legacy of The Perfect Child with devastating precision. Lucinda Berry explores the origins of a family’s darkest secrets through Becky Watson, a young woman shaped by instability, survival, and impossible choices.

What stands out most is how deliberately this story examines generational trauma. Becky’s desperation, her guarded trust, and her fierce yet fragile love for her daughter feel rooted in lived experience rather than dramatics. The tension builds quietly, driven by character and consequence, until it becomes clear that safety and salvation are not the same thing.

Lillian’s presence is especially effective ,her nurturing exterior masking something far more dangerous — reinforcing the novel’s central question of whether love can harm as much as it protects. Knowing where the story ultimately leads only intensifies the emotional weight of each decision Becky makes.

Dark, unsettling, and deeply human, Her First Lie doesn’t just add context to the series — it reshapes it. A powerful and haunting exploration of inheritance, sacrifice, and the cost of survival.