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Entre ses mains
QUAND UN ENFANT EST ACCUSÉ DE MEURTRE, SA MÈRE EST PRÊTE À TOUT POUR LE PROTÉGER
Un jour d’été en Alabama, le corps de la femme du maire, sauvagement assassinée, est retrouvé sous un pont ferroviaire. À côté du cadavre se tient Mason Hill, l’enfant autiste de l’ancienne Miss USA, Genevieve Hill. Il n’en faut pas plus pour que les habitants de la région se forgent une opinion : le garçon est coupable.
L’inspecteur chargé de l’affaire convoque Casey Walker, une pédopsychiatre spécialisée dans l’autisme, pour l’aider à y voir plus clair dans cette enquête. Mais plus Casey passe de temps avec la mère de Mason, plus elle est convaincue que l’ancienne reine de beauté fait bien plus que simplement protéger son fils.
Lorsque Casey rencontre enfin Savannah, la sœur de Mason, ses doutes s’épaississent. La jeune femme semble taire bon nombre de secrets dérangeants et conduit Casey Walker à la découverte d’un autre meurtre dont les ramifications et les conséquences vont bien au-delà de tout ce qu’elle pouvait imaginer.
Jusqu’où une mère peut-elle aller pour protéger son enfant ?
Un jour d’été en Alabama, le corps de la femme du maire, sauvagement assassinée, est retrouvé sous un pont ferroviaire. À côté du cadavre se tient Mason Hill, l’enfant autiste de l’ancienne Miss USA, Genevieve Hill. Il n’en faut pas plus pour que les habitants de la région se forgent une opinion : le garçon est coupable.
L’inspecteur chargé de l’affaire convoque Casey Walker, une pédopsychiatre spécialisée dans l’autisme, pour l’aider à y voir plus clair dans cette enquête. Mais plus Casey passe de temps avec la mère de Mason, plus elle est convaincue que l’ancienne reine de beauté fait bien plus que simplement protéger son fils.
Lorsque Casey rencontre enfin Savannah, la sœur de Mason, ses doutes s’épaississent. La jeune femme semble taire bon nombre de secrets dérangeants et conduit Casey Walker à la découverte d’un autre meurtre dont les ramifications et les conséquences vont bien au-delà de tout ce qu’elle pouvait imaginer.
Jusqu’où une mère peut-elle aller pour protéger son enfant ?
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2022
7897 people are currently reading
29785 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Berry
30 books21.6k 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 2,560 reviews
May 2, 2022
Thank you Lucinda Berry and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.
Yes, this is a one star. But I HIGHLY encourage you to read her other books, including my faves: The Secrets of Us, Appetite for Innocence, and Saving Noah. DO NOT swear off this author!! This just was not it.
THE PLOT
Autism expert Casey Walker is called in to consult on a case about Mason, a 14-year-old boy with autism, who police strongly believe is responsible for the murder of the mayor's wife, Annabelle. But as Walker dives into Mason and his mother's background, she begins to question everything she knows.
MY OPINION
.......... le sigh. I want to reiterate that I LOVE Lucinda Berry's novels. Her expertise as a child psychologist always shines through, and her books, especially Appetite for Innocence (AFI), are introspective and well-written. THIS book was so off the rails, I re-downloaded AFI to double check I wasn't tweaking and that Lucinda could actually write. To my relief, AFI still goes hard, so I'm considering this a one-off.
Tbh it felt like an entirely different person wrote this. It was so overloaded with insignificant details, forced dialogue, platitudes, and telling the reader how to feel. I had almost 200 notes/highlights on my Kindle when I was finished and most of them were: ????? r u good ????
I understand this book was supposed to be about autism, and yes, I learned a lot about the condition, but I think Lucinda missed a bigger play. Why did we need the mother's (Genevieve) POV if the main focus was on the son's condition? We only got little snippets of his side, which were the strongest parts of the book. All I got from Genevieve was that she's annoying AF, and in the context of the book, she added absolutely zero value. Genevieve's POV would've worked if the book had tackled a different—more suitable IMO—angle... I can't say more without spoiling it. So if you're curious, slide in my DMs and we can chat.
Casey Walker was clearly there to act as a mouthpiece for autism awareness. She knew nothing about the investigation nor basic police procedural. She was clearly used as a pawn by detectives to serve up the "evidence" they needed. The only person she was consulting with was her dad basically. The police didn't give two f@cks what she had to say, she was never in the "war room" with them—just having friendly catch ups at Panera and Zaxby's. So essentially, other than being an #autismspeaks spokesperson, she didn't provide any value to the novel and her POV was pointless.
Also you can't get "drafted" into college football... You get RECRUITED. This is a well-known fact and the editor should've picked up on it.
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THOSE IN THE BACK, READ HER OTHER BOOKS. THEY ARE ABSOLUTE BANGERZ.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: I received an ARC from an author I admire (not kissing ass b/c... I'm giving this book 1 star cmon)
Cons: it's 1 star... do I really need to say it?
Yes, this is a one star. But I HIGHLY encourage you to read her other books, including my faves: The Secrets of Us, Appetite for Innocence, and Saving Noah. DO NOT swear off this author!! This just was not it.
THE PLOT
Autism expert Casey Walker is called in to consult on a case about Mason, a 14-year-old boy with autism, who police strongly believe is responsible for the murder of the mayor's wife, Annabelle. But as Walker dives into Mason and his mother's background, she begins to question everything she knows.
MY OPINION
.......... le sigh. I want to reiterate that I LOVE Lucinda Berry's novels. Her expertise as a child psychologist always shines through, and her books, especially Appetite for Innocence (AFI), are introspective and well-written. THIS book was so off the rails, I re-downloaded AFI to double check I wasn't tweaking and that Lucinda could actually write. To my relief, AFI still goes hard, so I'm considering this a one-off.
Tbh it felt like an entirely different person wrote this. It was so overloaded with insignificant details, forced dialogue, platitudes, and telling the reader how to feel. I had almost 200 notes/highlights on my Kindle when I was finished and most of them were: ????? r u good ????
I understand this book was supposed to be about autism, and yes, I learned a lot about the condition, but I think Lucinda missed a bigger play. Why did we need the mother's (Genevieve) POV if the main focus was on the son's condition? We only got little snippets of his side, which were the strongest parts of the book. All I got from Genevieve was that she's annoying AF, and in the context of the book, she added absolutely zero value. Genevieve's POV would've worked if the book had tackled a different—more suitable IMO—angle... I can't say more without spoiling it. So if you're curious, slide in my DMs and we can chat.
Casey Walker was clearly there to act as a mouthpiece for autism awareness. She knew nothing about the investigation nor basic police procedural. She was clearly used as a pawn by detectives to serve up the "evidence" they needed. The only person she was consulting with was her dad basically. The police didn't give two f@cks what she had to say, she was never in the "war room" with them—just having friendly catch ups at Panera and Zaxby's. So essentially, other than being an #autismspeaks spokesperson, she didn't provide any value to the novel and her POV was pointless.
Also you can't get "drafted" into college football... You get RECRUITED. This is a well-known fact and the editor should've picked up on it.
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THOSE IN THE BACK, READ HER OTHER BOOKS. THEY ARE ABSOLUTE BANGERZ.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: I received an ARC from an author I admire (not kissing ass b/c... I'm giving this book 1 star cmon)
Cons: it's 1 star... do I really need to say it?
June 21, 2022
Lucinda berry is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors, she has never disappointed before and didn’t now either.
The book follows Genieveve and Casey, after a murder where Genieveve’s autistic son finds the dead body. We soon realize that something isn’t quite right, especially when Casey, a clinical psychologist working with autism herself, gets involved in the murder investigation.
As always the book was fast-paced, you simply needed to know what would happen next. Even if it was pretty obvious what was going on, it didn’t make the book less enjoyable to read. The horrible truth was revealed little by little. I liked that we got small glimpses of what had happened from the autists point of view. The plot was original, and although a bit extreme it wasn’t too far fetched. Some parents should never have become parents and they say that reality is always stranger than fiction.
There were some loose threads that left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like an annoying cliffhanger. What happened after the last altercation between the two POVS? Would have loved an ending that didn’t feel so rushed.
Truly enjoyed myself when reading under her care, too bad that it probably will be a long time before her next book is published.
Thanks to netgally and Amazon publishing for this arc in exchange of my honest review.
The book follows Genieveve and Casey, after a murder where Genieveve’s autistic son finds the dead body. We soon realize that something isn’t quite right, especially when Casey, a clinical psychologist working with autism herself, gets involved in the murder investigation.
As always the book was fast-paced, you simply needed to know what would happen next. Even if it was pretty obvious what was going on, it didn’t make the book less enjoyable to read. The horrible truth was revealed little by little. I liked that we got small glimpses of what had happened from the autists point of view. The plot was original, and although a bit extreme it wasn’t too far fetched. Some parents should never have become parents and they say that reality is always stranger than fiction.
There were some loose threads that left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like an annoying cliffhanger. What happened after the last altercation between the two POVS? Would have loved an ending that didn’t feel so rushed.
Truly enjoyed myself when reading under her care, too bad that it probably will be a long time before her next book is published.
Thanks to netgally and Amazon publishing for this arc in exchange of my honest review.
May 5, 2022
TW/CW: Autism, Person-First Language, Mental Age, ABA, AutismMom™, Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse
Let me start by saying that if you are an autistic adult, you probably do not want to read this. It's trigger heavy. I'm appalled that the author is a psychologist, honestly. She should know better.
Reading the blurb, I was weary, but considering that the the blurb says 'autistic son,' rather than 'has a son with autism,' I had a little hope. That hope was squashed on page 7. The cop is talking to the psychologist in the story (who he has already referred to as the 'autism whisperer'), and he starts to say, "I know autistic kids-," and she immediately interjects with, "Kids with autism. The child isn't their diagnosis. It's people-first language. You don't say 'cancer kids,' do you?"
This is incorrect. While there are some autistics who do prefer person-first language, the majority prefer identity-first language, myself included. I am not a person with autism. I'm an autistic person. Cancer is a terrible example. Cancer is invasive on the body, a disease, sometimes deadly. Autism is simply a different neurotype. It is a different way of processing things. It shapes everything about me, the way I feel, see things, my personality, my likes and dislikes, the way I socialize, EVERYTHING. I'm not me without the autism. It's an identity. It's not a disease. If you need to be reminded that I am a person, you didn't think I was a person to begin with.
Person-first languages continues to be used heavily throughout the book.
Two other things, and these are more recent shifts within the last few years, are the use of "mental age" and the term "non-verbal." It has been encourage by advocates to shift away from this language. Rather than "non-verbal," the preferred term is "non-speaking" because spoken language is not the only way to communicate, and often times when people say a child is "non-verbal," they tend to treat the child as if they have zero means of communication, and sometimes they seem to forget that the child can hear and understand spoken language.
I have witnessed this personally working in various ASD classrooms. I was in a classroom with elementary age kids, most of which were non-speaking. One of the teachers (yes, the actual teacher) started talking badly about a girls mom while sitting right next to her. This was the most atrocious example, but I watched many.
This next topic is one that is a very sensitive subject for many autistics, and that is ABA. Most advocates will say that ABA is a form of child abuse. It is highly taxing on the child and mostly aims at making the child act neurotypical. This can have long lasting negative side effects on a child's mentality as they mature, and it often leads to masking. Masking can lead to severe depression and anxiety as the autistic child struggles to appear "normal" around their peers. This often continues into adulthood.
One of the specific examples used in the story is how they will use ABA to work on eye contact. Eye contact is difficult for many autistics, at least long periods of it. It isn't just about comfort. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but many of us struggle to comprehend and focus on a conversation when we are forced to maintain eye contact. Not staring into someones eyeballs as they speak should be normalized, and forcing kids to do this is wrong.
This isn't as serious, but I found the main child to be highly stereotypically autistic, right down to the hyperfixation on trains.
Please remember that the experts on autism are autistics.
Sources to check. (All autistic led)
https://autisticadvocacy.org/
https://awnnetwork.org/
https://the-art-of-autism.com/
https://www.facebook.com/neurodiversi...
https://ausometraining.com/
https://bridgeslearningsystem.com/
(As a side note, I am both autistic and disabled, having CRPS and a myriad of other chronic illnesses. I am a journalist and have studied psychology. I have also spent a lot of time in classrooms working with autistic kids from pre-k to adulthood.)
Let me start by saying that if you are an autistic adult, you probably do not want to read this. It's trigger heavy. I'm appalled that the author is a psychologist, honestly. She should know better.
Reading the blurb, I was weary, but considering that the the blurb says 'autistic son,' rather than 'has a son with autism,' I had a little hope. That hope was squashed on page 7. The cop is talking to the psychologist in the story (who he has already referred to as the 'autism whisperer'), and he starts to say, "I know autistic kids-," and she immediately interjects with, "Kids with autism. The child isn't their diagnosis. It's people-first language. You don't say 'cancer kids,' do you?"
This is incorrect. While there are some autistics who do prefer person-first language, the majority prefer identity-first language, myself included. I am not a person with autism. I'm an autistic person. Cancer is a terrible example. Cancer is invasive on the body, a disease, sometimes deadly. Autism is simply a different neurotype. It is a different way of processing things. It shapes everything about me, the way I feel, see things, my personality, my likes and dislikes, the way I socialize, EVERYTHING. I'm not me without the autism. It's an identity. It's not a disease. If you need to be reminded that I am a person, you didn't think I was a person to begin with.
Person-first languages continues to be used heavily throughout the book.
Two other things, and these are more recent shifts within the last few years, are the use of "mental age" and the term "non-verbal." It has been encourage by advocates to shift away from this language. Rather than "non-verbal," the preferred term is "non-speaking" because spoken language is not the only way to communicate, and often times when people say a child is "non-verbal," they tend to treat the child as if they have zero means of communication, and sometimes they seem to forget that the child can hear and understand spoken language.
I have witnessed this personally working in various ASD classrooms. I was in a classroom with elementary age kids, most of which were non-speaking. One of the teachers (yes, the actual teacher) started talking badly about a girls mom while sitting right next to her. This was the most atrocious example, but I watched many.
This next topic is one that is a very sensitive subject for many autistics, and that is ABA. Most advocates will say that ABA is a form of child abuse. It is highly taxing on the child and mostly aims at making the child act neurotypical. This can have long lasting negative side effects on a child's mentality as they mature, and it often leads to masking. Masking can lead to severe depression and anxiety as the autistic child struggles to appear "normal" around their peers. This often continues into adulthood.
One of the specific examples used in the story is how they will use ABA to work on eye contact. Eye contact is difficult for many autistics, at least long periods of it. It isn't just about comfort. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but many of us struggle to comprehend and focus on a conversation when we are forced to maintain eye contact. Not staring into someones eyeballs as they speak should be normalized, and forcing kids to do this is wrong.
This isn't as serious, but I found the main child to be highly stereotypically autistic, right down to the hyperfixation on trains.
Please remember that the experts on autism are autistics.
Sources to check. (All autistic led)
https://autisticadvocacy.org/
https://awnnetwork.org/
https://the-art-of-autism.com/
https://www.facebook.com/neurodiversi...
https://ausometraining.com/
https://bridgeslearningsystem.com/
(As a side note, I am both autistic and disabled, having CRPS and a myriad of other chronic illnesses. I am a journalist and have studied psychology. I have also spent a lot of time in classrooms working with autistic kids from pre-k to adulthood.)
September 11, 2022
This is a compelling story about the lengths one will go to in order to stay relevant and sustain the perception of greatness. Heartbreaking and disturbing describe this intriguing psychological thriller that had me racing to the surprising conclusion. This is the second book I have read from Lucinda Berry and look forward to reading more of her books in the future. Appearances are deceiving and smiles are not to be trusted as lies are exposed and façades are shattered forever. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my copy.
June 16, 2022
Just because I can’t talk doesn’t mean I got nothin’ to say.
Oh, man. Well - not the best way to start with a new to me author, but it is what it is. At least I heard good things about her other books, so I will definitely be checking them out.
Under Her Care - the plot was ok for a thriller. The characters were ok but nothing special (though I liked one of them quite a bit). But the writing - there was so much space for improvement.
It was full of unimportant details and forced dialogs. But even worse to me was that it felt like we didn't even get the whole story. All in all, it felt a bit like a waste of time.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Under Her Care by Lucinda Berry in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, man. Well - not the best way to start with a new to me author, but it is what it is. At least I heard good things about her other books, so I will definitely be checking them out.
Under Her Care - the plot was ok for a thriller. The characters were ok but nothing special (though I liked one of them quite a bit). But the writing - there was so much space for improvement.
It was full of unimportant details and forced dialogs. But even worse to me was that it felt like we didn't even get the whole story. All in all, it felt a bit like a waste of time.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Under Her Care by Lucinda Berry in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2022
Lucinda Berry’s latest, UNDER HER CARE, is her best thriller yet! A dark, riveting read that will keep you up late, racing to the chilling end.
April 9, 2025
Lucinda Berry has YET to disappoint me! Now I must go buy more of her books, because she quickly made her way to one of my favorite authors. 🖤
April 13, 2023
3.5* Not bad! Not exactly thrilling or shocking like I was expecting but it held my attention and I appreciate that
July 25, 2024
4.5 stars are this up in one day!!! giving gypsy rose a lil bit but way more unhinged
May 4, 2022
Lucinda Berry has gotten better and better with every book. Her writings was so convincing that I devoured every word she wrote. Her experience as a pyschlogist and researcher in childhood trauma made all her characters unique and believable.
I couldn't put down this book, the book was well-paced and captivating. It was quite obvious and predictable how the story was going to end but her writings pushed me through it.
My only complaint was that I needed more of Mason. I didn't get the chance to get to know him better. He should be one of the main characters in the book. I needed to get into his mind and see for myself what actually happened to him.
I couldn't put down this book, the book was well-paced and captivating. It was quite obvious and predictable how the story was going to end but her writings pushed me through it.
My only complaint was that I needed more of Mason. I didn't get the chance to get to know him better. He should be one of the main characters in the book. I needed to get into his mind and see for myself what actually happened to him.
June 5, 2022
Again. I finished this book so that gets 3 stars. But that’s rounded up from 1.5. An annoying child psychologist who is super dumb and naive for being a psychologist. The detective isn’t much better. The events in the story wouldn’t even happen because professionals would be fired for being so stupid. So many eyerolling moments it’s unbelievable.
June 14, 2022
Personally I’d give this book 1,5 stars. It took me over half of the book to actually find it interesting. I love Lucinda’s other books so I was so excited to recieve this ARC but sadly I didn’t like it that much. The story itself would’ve been good but somehow I didn’t seem to like it. I can’t even really tell you why, only that it somehow felt weird and even the plot twists couldn’t really save this book for me.
I recommend other books from Lucinda but sadly couldn’t recommend this one.
I recommend other books from Lucinda but sadly couldn’t recommend this one.
June 15, 2022
this certainly had a gripping start
so I trusted doc berry as I've done
before and flew through the pages,
but it's always pretty disappointing
when you've guessed every twist. :x
so I trusted doc berry as I've done
before and flew through the pages,
but it's always pretty disappointing
when you've guessed every twist. :x
September 15, 2025
3.75 ⭐️- Typically when I finish a Lucinda Berry book I immediately want a sequel, but with this one I DESPERATELY need a prequel! I want so much more of Genevieve and Mason’s story and how we really got to this point. I like where this story went but I just found myself being so much more invested in the past which we only got little glimpses of. This had a wild ending like all of her books do, went in a direction I wasn’t expecting, and I did enjoy it.
July 5, 2022
Twisty and suspenseful!
I enjoyed reading the extensive information the author included on Autism. This is my first read by Ms. Berry and I was pleased to find that she is a psychologist. I’ve been interested in how the mind works, mental issues, and disorders my whole life. These topics fascinate me and pull me into books.
There are several of her other books on my TBR list and I’m excited to read another.
I enjoyed reading the extensive information the author included on Autism. This is my first read by Ms. Berry and I was pleased to find that she is a psychologist. I’ve been interested in how the mind works, mental issues, and disorders my whole life. These topics fascinate me and pull me into books.
There are several of her other books on my TBR list and I’m excited to read another.
July 4, 2022
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 3.5 Stars
Story - 3.5 Stars
April 29, 2025
This wasn't exactly the usual Lucinda Berry jaw-dropping thriller I'm used to, there was nothing thrilling or shocking about it, ended very abruptly as though pages were missing, if I didn't know any better I would've thought this was her first book published... I'm sorry.. then again maybe I wouldn't be this underwhelmed if it was my first read but this is my 10th experience with her and my least favourite so far... SHE CAN AND HAS DONE BETTER... The plot kinda reminded me of a show called "The Act" to an extent... minus the suspense and the thriller part in psychological thriller..... 🤷🏼♀️
Content Warning: Autism, child abuse
Plot Summary
The story is based in Alabama; follows the mayor’s wife who is found murdered—and standing nearby is Mason Hill, a fourteen-year-old boy with autism. The town is quick to accuse him, but psychologist Casey Walker is brought in to reveal the truth. As she digs into the Hill family’s secrets, including those of Mason’s mother Genevieve and his troubled sister Savannah another murder is uncovered
Content Warning: Autism, child abuse
Plot Summary
The story is based in Alabama; follows the mayor’s wife who is found murdered—and standing nearby is Mason Hill, a fourteen-year-old boy with autism. The town is quick to accuse him, but psychologist Casey Walker is brought in to reveal the truth. As she digs into the Hill family’s secrets, including those of Mason’s mother Genevieve and his troubled sister Savannah another murder is uncovered
June 14, 2025
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Emily Ellet 4
Eileen Elliot
Brian Holden
Marli Watson
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Emily Ellet 4
Eileen Elliot
Brian Holden
Marli Watson
October 2, 2022
I think my copy is missing a few pages because I refuse to accept that abrupt ending
May 29, 2022
After the murder of the Mayor of Alabama's wife, Annabelle, an arrest is made. Mason Hill was seen standing next to Annabelle covered in her blood. The problem is he is autistic and nonverbal. Casey Walker, an expert in autism, is called in to consult on the case and try to find out if Mason really committed this crime or was it someone else?
This was another wild story by Lucinda Berry. I have read almost all of her books and they never disappoint me. If you want a story that will stay with you or keep you thinking after you have finished the book, pick this one up. I was lucky enough to buddy read this with my friend Natasa @itsallaboutbooksandmacarons and it left us puzzled. I highly recommend this book.
This was another wild story by Lucinda Berry. I have read almost all of her books and they never disappoint me. If you want a story that will stay with you or keep you thinking after you have finished the book, pick this one up. I was lucky enough to buddy read this with my friend Natasa @itsallaboutbooksandmacarons and it left us puzzled. I highly recommend this book.
June 1, 2022
Wow, I absolutely devoured this incredibly compelling and dark read! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and found it perfectly twisty and clever!
It’s hard not to give too much away with this one but it’s concept has always been extremely fascinating to me and I find it thrilling being able to dive into such diabolical and narcissistic personalities. I also loved reading this knowing that Berry was a former trauma psychologist and she used this knowledge and experience exceptionally well throughout the story.
This was my first by Berry and it certainly won’t be my last!
4.5 stars rounded to 5 for goodreads
It’s hard not to give too much away with this one but it’s concept has always been extremely fascinating to me and I find it thrilling being able to dive into such diabolical and narcissistic personalities. I also loved reading this knowing that Berry was a former trauma psychologist and she used this knowledge and experience exceptionally well throughout the story.
This was my first by Berry and it certainly won’t be my last!
4.5 stars rounded to 5 for goodreads
May 13, 2022
I knew this was going to be a difficult read when one of the characters compared autism to cancer. No. Just no. So much unrealistic and nonsensical stuff. I was skimming the last half.
May 5, 2022
Yowch. So I've been reading way too many thrillers lately and I tried to take a break, but I picked this one up anyway on Prime first reads. I don't know what the deal is with this, maybe another sign that I need to read something else, but it is *rough*.
In one scene, character A drops a bombshell on character B, who reacts by widening her eyes, stiffening, and saying that it's impossible. Two pages later, character B calmly reveals the same bombshell as if that conversation had never happened. Character A is now the skeptical one, no matter how much B insists on it like she just thought of it.
Phrases are often slightly misused, or just plain odd choices. The writing itself is incredibly clunky. It was clearly very poorly edited. The villain at one point—dramatically, terrifyingly—speaks the sentence: "We got no problems you do that."
And POVs! What are all the damn POV switches for? Genevieve's perspective gives us nothing but rehashes for most of the book, and for a while any new information she brings us is so purposefully obfuscated that there's no point anyway. She also lies to the reader a couple of times, so I suppose her perspective is just there to add wordcount and push us a step back for every two forward in the other POV. It is done very clumsily. Then it switches randomly to a page or two of absolute nonsense from another character. Literal gobblygook. Why? I would love for the author or her editors to explain what they think those passages contributed to this book.
Ending rants:
Bonus dialogue exchange, and I promise this isn't supposed to be comedy: (shortened to remove a couple of spoiler words.)
"Oh my God! What happened?"
"She shot me!" he shrieks.
"She shot you?"
"Yes! She shot me," he cries like it's not real for him either. (???)
"I can't believe she shot you." She is evil, but she does all her acts behind closed doors.
And now I am off to ~do some acts~. Bye, thanks, no thanks.
In one scene, character A drops a bombshell on character B, who reacts by widening her eyes, stiffening, and saying that it's impossible. Two pages later, character B calmly reveals the same bombshell as if that conversation had never happened. Character A is now the skeptical one, no matter how much B insists on it like she just thought of it.
Phrases are often slightly misused, or just plain odd choices. The writing itself is incredibly clunky. It was clearly very poorly edited. The villain at one point—dramatically, terrifyingly—speaks the sentence: "We got no problems you do that."
And POVs! What are all the damn POV switches for? Genevieve's perspective gives us nothing but rehashes for most of the book, and for a while any new information she brings us is so purposefully obfuscated that there's no point anyway. She also lies to the reader a couple of times, so I suppose her perspective is just there to add wordcount and push us a step back for every two forward in the other POV. It is done very clumsily. Then it switches randomly to a page or two of absolute nonsense from another character. Literal gobblygook. Why? I would love for the author or her editors to explain what they think those passages contributed to this book.
Ending rants:
Bonus dialogue exchange, and I promise this isn't supposed to be comedy: (shortened to remove a couple of spoiler words.)
"Oh my God! What happened?"
"She shot me!" he shrieks.
"She shot you?"
"Yes! She shot me," he cries like it's not real for him either. (???)
"I can't believe she shot you." She is evil, but she does all her acts behind closed doors.
And now I am off to ~do some acts~. Bye, thanks, no thanks.
March 7, 2022
Lucinda Berry is an author that I absolutely love to read because her education shines through and her knowledge psychology makes her books stand out.
Lucinda, you outdid yourself on this one! It was AMAZING, and my favorite of your books so far.
I was so mad when my flight landed last night with 50 pages to go. 🤭Excuse me sir can you circle around Vegas a few times first? 🤣 I was so tempted to sit in my truck and finish it before driving the 2.5 hrs home.
I did not read the blurb before starting this book, which is something I never would have done before #bookstagram but now with certain authors I know that I don’t have to read it, and it’s fun to dive in blind.
I really enjoyed the fact that this book takes place in Alabama, which is where I am originally from.
I HIGHLY recommend you preorder this one! 💜
Lucinda, you outdid yourself on this one! It was AMAZING, and my favorite of your books so far.
I was so mad when my flight landed last night with 50 pages to go. 🤭Excuse me sir can you circle around Vegas a few times first? 🤣 I was so tempted to sit in my truck and finish it before driving the 2.5 hrs home.
I did not read the blurb before starting this book, which is something I never would have done before #bookstagram but now with certain authors I know that I don’t have to read it, and it’s fun to dive in blind.
I really enjoyed the fact that this book takes place in Alabama, which is where I am originally from.
I HIGHLY recommend you preorder this one! 💜
May 31, 2022
Under Her Care is Lucinda Berry’s latest thriller. And oh what a doozy this one is!!! Mason who has Autism has been accused of murder. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing till the end. Genevieve, Mason’s mom, is a piece of work! I hated her! I was glued to the pages from the very beginning!
June 8, 2022
Lucinda berry is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors, she has never disappointed before and don’t do so now either.
The book follows Genieveve and Casey, after a murder where Genieveve’s autistic son finds the dead body. We soon realize that something isn’t quite right, especially when Casey, a clinical psychologist working with autism herself, gets involved in the murder investigation.
As always the book was fast-paced, you simply needed to know what would happen next. Even if it was pretty obvious what was going on, it didn’t make the book less enjoyable to read. The horrible truth was revealed little by little. I liked that we got small glimpses of what had happened from the autists point of view. The plot was original, and although a bit extreme it wasn’t too far fetched. Some parents should never have become parents and they say that reality is always stranger than fiction.
There were some loose threads that left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like an annoying cliffhanger. What happened after the last altercation between the two POVS? Would have loved an ending that didn’t feel so rushed.
Truly enjoyed myself when reading under her care, too bad that it probably will be a long time before her next book is published.
Thanks to netgally and Amazon publishing for this arc in exchange of my honest review.
The book follows Genieveve and Casey, after a murder where Genieveve’s autistic son finds the dead body. We soon realize that something isn’t quite right, especially when Casey, a clinical psychologist working with autism herself, gets involved in the murder investigation.
As always the book was fast-paced, you simply needed to know what would happen next. Even if it was pretty obvious what was going on, it didn’t make the book less enjoyable to read. The horrible truth was revealed little by little. I liked that we got small glimpses of what had happened from the autists point of view. The plot was original, and although a bit extreme it wasn’t too far fetched. Some parents should never have become parents and they say that reality is always stranger than fiction.
There were some loose threads that left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like an annoying cliffhanger. What happened after the last altercation between the two POVS? Would have loved an ending that didn’t feel so rushed.
Truly enjoyed myself when reading under her care, too bad that it probably will be a long time before her next book is published.
Thanks to netgally and Amazon publishing for this arc in exchange of my honest review.
July 4, 2022
This one was just ok for me. It’s told in alternating POVs of Genevieve, whose son has autism and is accused of a heinous crime, and Casey, a psychologist specializing in pediatric autism who is brought in on the case.
I liked the alternating POVs and delving into the personalities of the main characters, which makes you start wondering who has something to hide. When the truth does come out, it’s rather shocking and there were a couple twists that I didn’t see coming. However, I had a hard time understanding why some of the major decisions in the story were made and wished that the author gave me a better understanding into some of the characters’ motivations; it felt like she was going for shock factor above anything else at some points. I also couldn’t get my arms around the fact that Casey was allowed to get this deep into the investigation for no real reason, but maybe I just don’t understand small town law enforcement.
Overall, this was a twisty read with plenty of surprises and I enjoyed the twists and the pacing, but I do wish more time had been spend on the background versus just the shocking events that occurred. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the alternating POVs and delving into the personalities of the main characters, which makes you start wondering who has something to hide. When the truth does come out, it’s rather shocking and there were a couple twists that I didn’t see coming. However, I had a hard time understanding why some of the major decisions in the story were made and wished that the author gave me a better understanding into some of the characters’ motivations; it felt like she was going for shock factor above anything else at some points. I also couldn’t get my arms around the fact that Casey was allowed to get this deep into the investigation for no real reason, but maybe I just don’t understand small town law enforcement.
Overall, this was a twisty read with plenty of surprises and I enjoyed the twists and the pacing, but I do wish more time had been spend on the background versus just the shocking events that occurred. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2024
***3.4***
Loved all of Lucinda Berry’s books that I have read so far. However, this one doesn’t fall into the category of “love”, more like, so so… not bad but didn’t Waw me.
The first half of the book was incredibly slow, to do point of boredom. It’s a really slow character building process which made me wonder many times if I wanted to keep going. However the second half picked up quickly and made me want to continue.
The ending was a surprise which I didn’t see coming… But I must also add it was a bit over the top and unbelievable. Also felt a bit rushed. Many loose ends weren’t tied up well.
If this is your first time hearing about this author, I suggest you check out others from her.
Enjoy 🍷
Loved all of Lucinda Berry’s books that I have read so far. However, this one doesn’t fall into the category of “love”, more like, so so… not bad but didn’t Waw me.
The first half of the book was incredibly slow, to do point of boredom. It’s a really slow character building process which made me wonder many times if I wanted to keep going. However the second half picked up quickly and made me want to continue.
The ending was a surprise which I didn’t see coming… But I must also add it was a bit over the top and unbelievable. Also felt a bit rushed. Many loose ends weren’t tied up well.
If this is your first time hearing about this author, I suggest you check out others from her.
Enjoy 🍷
December 28, 2022
Wow, wow, wow. Lucinda Berry knows what she's doing 🤯 the narcissism... The psychopathy.... The horror.... This was a real wild ride. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough during the last 40%. And THOSE LAST THREE CHAPTERS. Pure evil genius 😈
As rough as this was at parts I loved it!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy to read and review.
As rough as this was at parts I loved it!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy to read and review.
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