Perfect

by P.J. Gudka

A mother protecting her son.

A boy spiraling into darkness.

A girl who never stood a chanceSally thinks she’s succeeded in breaking generational curses until she finds out her eldest son, James, is the prime suspect in Lily Johnson’s murder. After years of bliss, she’s forced to revisit dark family secrets she believed she had left behind. Even more unsettling is that the deeper she digs, the more she realizes that she may not know James as well as she thought.

James is certainly not the perfect son his mother believes he is. In fact, he has always felt painfully different from everyone around him- until he meets Lily Johnson. Initially, their relationship seems flawless, but soon the cracks begin to show, leaving James questioning everything- including his own sanity and just how far he’ll go to protect the girl he loves.]

After her father’s death, Lily's mother marries Paul- a man Lily despises. And if that wasn’t devastating enough, Paul moves their family to the small town he grew up in. They thought Lily would be safer there, but little did they know that the small town holds secrets none of them could have ever imagined. Secrets some would kill to protect. And Lily finds herself in the middle of it all.

Perfect is an emotionally gripping psychological domestic thriller that explores the impact of dark family secrets and the generational trauma it leads to. It will have readers questioning how well any of us know those we love and how far we’re willing to go to protect them.

Genres: Thriller

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 5, 2026

Reviews

[Tanya Doddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly loved the suspense of this book. Easy fast read and loved the chapters and points of view. I would have like to see a little bit more after the killer was exposed

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect by P J Gudka starts out with a Prologue that immediately captured my interest, and I do love a great Prologue. It takes place in a small town, and we all know how difficult it is to keep a secret, especially in a small town.

I love a book with characters that have a lot to be desired. I don't think there was one 'good' character. It does make for some interesting reading.

I love a surprise ending, and Perfect by P J Gudka supplied that.

All in all Perfect is a read worthy novel, supplying enough of a mystery to keep me engaged, needing to know how the story will end. I'm not sure why I couldn't really connect with the characters. I love villains, and there was no short supply of them. I guess I'll have to leave it to you to decide if this one's for you.

My thanks go out to P J Gudka for the opportunity to share Perfect with you.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

[Sally Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thriller that will probably challenge the reader’s concept of perfect.

There is nothing more shocking than a young and promising life being snuffed out violently, and in a small community the shock wave impacts several families.

One mother has desperately rebuilt her life hoping to leave a violent past behind her. Echoes of the events of that time however are ever present as she looks into the face of her son as she looks for signs that he might somehow have been scarred by his childhood. She is willing to move heaven and earth to protect him.

A young woman torn from her former life and friends seeks acceptance from her new classmates and despite a deep sense of distrust finds herself embroiled in relationships she struggles to maintain and control.

The author grabs the attention from the opening chapter and with the focus on those close to the victim the evidence seems pretty conclusive. Until over the following chapters the lives of the main characters are unpicked and put under the microscope and a different chain of events outlined.

All the characters are compelling including those who are despicable. The author has done a great job in putting together an ensemble of players who all have a role to play in the lead up to the murder.

The ending is a total surprise as it should be in a well -written psychological thriller. I do believe there is perhaps an opportunity for the author to write a sequel as there are several characters I would quite like to follow up on in the aftermath of these events.

Happy to recommend.

[Nigel Byng]

I love a good story, and Pooja did not let me down.
Perfect, her debut novel, quickly shatters the notion of perfection. The undercurrent of madness, family deception, adult immorality, and misguided logic keep seeping into the chapters. You know something bad was coming. Something dark was lurking, and like a toxin slowly working its way through your bloodstream, you knew the end was near. When it came, it was a surprise.
This is a whodunnit, where you forgot that someone had been killed. You forgot that, at the beginning, you wanted to know who the killer was; this is how engaging the characters and the side stories were. There will be no spoilers from me.
The book is perfect for young adult readers. The characters are opinionated and engaging. They are complicated and view the world as most teenagers tend to. The story is wonderfully crafted, the plot unfolds within the confines of the small town, and a small cast of characters. It is a fast read, written by a talented storyteller.
I highly recommend it.
My praise to Pooja Gudka for a wonderfully written debut novel.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite the ride!

So many twists and turns that keep you tuning page after page, and an ending I didn't expect! Don't miss this intriguing tale, can you figure it out on your own?

[Kayla Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mom, this book absolutely chilled me to the bone. There is nothing more terrifying than the thought of your child being accused of something horrific, and P.J. Gudka taps right into that primal instinct of "how far would you go to protect your own?" I found myself clutching my pearls through several chapters, completely caught up in the desperation and the "what if" of it all.

[Cindy Georgakas · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can imagine my shock when the first chapter drew me and I couldn’t put it down. I have to say this is the first book in this genre that I have read and loved and couldn’t wait to finish which in fact I did in only 2 nights.

Each chapter bleeds into the next along with your heart Perfect-Ly. Riveting, suspenseful, a twist at every turn, leaving you hanging on each page turning word!

If you love mysteries, you’re going to love it and if you don’t, you’re going to be shocked how much you like/ love it!

You can imagine my shock when the first chapter drew me and I couldn’t put it down. I have to say this is the first book in this genre that I have read and loved and couldn’t wait to finish which in fact I did in only 2 nights.

Each chapter bleeds into the next along with your heart Perfect-Ly. Riveting, suspenseful, a twist at every turn, leaving you hanging on each page turning word!

If you love mysteries, you’re going to love it and if you don’t, you’re going to be shocked how much you like/ love it!


Imagine creating the perfect life, only to be haunted by memories of the past that grab you by the neck and you can’t run?Maybe like me, your life looked perfect from the outside but on the inside you were dying hoping never to be found out you were flawed beyond repair.

Thus was the case of Sally until her persona shattered when the police knocked on her door questioning her son of a crime she couldn’t imagine he could possibly commit, or could he?

Skeletons from her past come out of the closet shaking the ground beneath her. The shock and disbelief of James being accused of murder of his girlfriend, Lily leaves the whole town in shock. His friends rally to his side and yet what was the motive, who would have this kind of revenge and why? What could the motive possibly be? Could it really be James or would his mother take a bullet for him?

Your mind will bounce back and forth and you will fall in love with certain characters hoping it wasn’t them and then you’ll question yourself, the motive and feel broken hearted as certain things come to light. You might even feel sorry for the most annoying ones that might remind you of friends or acquaintances from your past which is hard to believe, but it’s true. You’ll change suspects time and time again, at least I did, and in the end you’ll want a sequel to this book.

It leaves me understanding there is no perfect life and no matter how we try to escape our past, it finds us and we can’t pretend it didn’t happen to protect our children. It’s complete with lots of food for thought but I want to know more.

I want to know where Lizzy the lizard is now, what happens to the family members when they find out who the murder is. How do they carry on? Yes, I want a perfect, tie the bow on the package sequel but even if I don’t get one which I’m hoping for I loved the book, the characters and more importantly bringing to light that even in the most perfect looking families, there are flaws, there are issues that need to be talked about, brought to light so we might avoid the demons of taking someone’s life.

[Selma Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

satirical lens/amazingly genius!

P.J. Gudka’s Perfect is a young adult psychological domestic thriller centered on trauma. I come out fresh from reading Perfect, convinced that no amount of painting over or beautifying can conceal the deep-rooted punches of life; that’s like putting lipstick on a pig. One cannot whitewash the flaws. But one can grow up and do better.

The pieces of the intricate story in Perfect are revealed slowly and mainly come to the surface through the critical eyes of teenagers, be they through the actual opinionated teenagers in the storyline or of the adults stuck knee-deep in traumatic teenagehoods that “informed life” for them.

I noticed that the adults were all weighed down by their pasts—suffocating under the weight of the cards dealt to them by life. And even in the (fictional) present portrayal of the story, nothing has been able to shed a different light on calcified hand-me-down ideas. It’s a pity that no one in the entire story was genuinely good. Everyone acted with ulterior motives: no character was wholesome, none can be remembered as good role models for the young adults who are the obvious avatars for this novel.

I kept wondering whether, in this novel, the author uses a satirical lens (held up to the reader) to expose hypocrisy, and whether the intent is to make teenagers think for themselves. Surely today’s teenagers are smart enough to pick up on the disparity. Surely they must know there’s good in this world! And so the author posits ideas as the basis for further discussion and reasoning, which are not to be taken as the fundamental truth. If so, amazingly genius! Because I believe the young people of today have every means available to double-check facts and not take one person’s dogma for the absolute. I want to believe that teens these days are more level-headed than, say, the young egoistic protagonist (not Sally) in the story.

The writing is beautiful. Lyrically poetic. And THAT kept me invested in the  68-chapter/322-page novel. Kudos! Great storytelling.

Now, here’s a gut punch: the last 8 chapters hit me hard. I cannot say I enjoyed the ending. But that’s just me. Yet, much more than that, I was gobsmacked at what happened at the end. Never saw that coming!

A wonderfully well-written debut YA novel that makes readers think.

I’m glad I purchased this book. I hope you consider purchasing it too. And I’d love to read an honest review from you, too. Please write one. 🙇🏻‍♀️

[Partha Pratim · Rating 5 out of 5]

📑Perfect by P J Gudka
There’s something deeply unsettling about stories that don’t rely on monsters; because they remind us that the real horror often lives inside families, secrets, and silence. Perfect by P J Gudka is exactly that kind of psychological thriller: chilling, emotional, and disturbingly human.

At the heart of the story is Sally, a mother who believes she has broken free from the toxic cycles of her past and built a safe life for her children. But everything shatters when her son James becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Lily Johnson. What follows is not just a murder investigation, but a slow unraveling of identities, memories, and painful truths buried for years.

What makes this book stand out is how layered the characters feel. James isn’t written as a typical thriller protagonist; he’s complex, fragile, obsessive, and emotionally conflicted. His relationship with Lily begins with the intensity of first love, but gradually twists into something darker and psychologically disturbing. As a reader, I constantly found myself questioning whether to sympathize with him or fear him.

Lily’s storyline adds another emotional dimension to the novel. Grieving the loss of her father and struggling with resentment toward her stepfather, she’s forced into a small town that hides dangerous secrets beneath its quiet surface. The town itself almost feels like a character; claustrophobic, eerie, and filled with tension waiting to explode.

What I appreciated most about Perfect is that it’s more than just a murder mystery. It explores generational trauma, emotional manipulation, toxic family dynamics, and the terrifying reality that we may never truly know the people we love. The emotional depth gives weight to every revelation, making the suspense feel even more personal.

P J Gudka writes with an intensity that keeps the pages turning, but also leaves room for emotional reflection. The pacing steadily tightens, the tension grows with every chapter, and the final revelations hit hard without feeling forced.

If you enjoy psychological domestic thrillers that combine emotional complexity with dark family secrets, unreliable emotions, and morally grey characters, this book deserves a spot on your reading list. Perfect is haunting in the quietest way possible, and that’s what makes it unforgettable.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect is a gripping, deeply human psychological thriller that peels back the glossy surface of family life to reveal the fractures beneath. From the opening pages, there’s a sense of unease threading through the story — a mother convinced she’s broken the cycle of generational trauma, a son who has never quite fit the mould she built for him, and a girl caught in the crossfire of secrets she never asked to inherit.

Sally is such a compelling centre to the novel. Her love for James is fierce, protective, almost blinding, and watching that certainty begin to crumble is both heartbreaking and impossible to look away from. The moment she learns he’s the prime suspect in Lily Johnson’s murder, the past she’s tried so hard to bury begins to rise, and the novel handles that unraveling with a quiet, devastating clarity.

James’s perspective adds a haunting layer — a boy who has always felt different, who clings to Lily as the one person who makes him feel seen. Their relationship begins with a sweetness that quickly curdles, the cracks widening until you can feel the danger humming beneath every interaction. His confusion, his longing, his spiralling sense of self… it’s all written with a rawness that lingers.

And then there’s Lily, whose story is threaded with grief, displacement, and the suffocating weight of a small town full of secrets. Her move was meant to keep her safe, yet it places her at the heart of something far darker than anyone imagined. The way her life intersects with James’s — tender, tragic, inevitable — gives the novel its emotional punch.

What makes Perfect so compelling is how it explores the echoes of trauma: how it shapes families, distorts love, and blurs the line between protection and destruction. The tension builds steadily, the twists land with quiet force, and the final revelations leave you questioning how well we ever truly know the people we love.

Dark, intimate, and emotionally charged, Perfect is a domestic thriller that lingers long after the last page — a story about secrets, cycles, and the dangerous illusion of perfection.

With thanks to PJ Gudka, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Jan Sikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things are not always as they seem. In this debut novel from P.J. Gudka, she dives deep into the human psyche of not only one, but several of the characters.
Sally perceives her life to be perfect. She has a wonderful loving husband, children she adores and protects, and an upstanding reputation in the community. She's escaped her past, or so she thinks.
However, perfection does not exist outside the mind of the person's mind.

This is a story of that illusion unraveling and bringing with it truths, secrets, and immorality. The book captured my attention from the first page. I couldn't read it fast enough.

When a high school student, Lily goes missing, then is found murdered, all the evidence points toward Sally's son, James, who was Lily's boyfriend. He maintains his innocence, but it's only the beginning of the unraveling.

I love that the author let us see through all the main characters' points of view. Things were happening that were not visible from the outside looking in.

Lily was struggling to come to grips with the death of her father, then a strict stepfather trying to replace him, when no one could. She acts out like most normal teenagers would. The grief sits heavy on her. James deals with anger issues that he and his father keep hidden from his mother. He doesn't want to be the one to spoil her perfect illusion. Mr. Live is a music teacher who lives with his own disappointment in life, having had to give up his dream of being a rock star to raise a child with a woman he doesn't care for.

The author did a great job of fleshing out all of these characters while we watched each of them implode in their own ways.

There are lots of players in this story. So many suspects to consider in Lily's murder. But the twist at the end and the reveal was one I could not have even begin to guess at!! I was shocked! My only critique of this novel is that I was left wondering what happened after the murderer was revealed. A woman was sitting in jail to protect her son. Families were torn apart. I would liked to have seen a more satisfying ending. Other than that, I loved the story and will look forward to more from this author!

[Rechael · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapters, Perfect threw me into a world of secrets, unanswered questions, and an unsettling feeling that something wasn't quite right. I found myself constantly second-guessing the characters, questioning their motives, and trying to piece together the puzzle—only to realize that the author was always one step ahead of me.

What I loved most about this book was how it wasn't just a psychological thriller; it was a deep exploration of family dynamics, hidden wounds, and the lasting impact of past choices. The emotional depth of the characters made their struggles feel real, and I became invested in their stories far beyond simply wanting to know "who did it."

P.J. Gudka has done an incredible job with this debut novel. The suspense builds steadily, and just when I thought I had figured things out, another revelation would completely change my perspective. There were moments when I had to pause and reflect because the psychological aspects of the story were so cleverly woven into the plot.

The book kept me turning pages late into the night, eager to uncover the truth. It explores how appearances can be deceiving and how the pursuit of perfection can sometimes hide painful realities beneath the surface.

For a debut novel, this is remarkably accomplished. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that combine suspense, emotional complexity, and unexpected twists, Perfect is a book you should definitely add to your reading list.

A gripping, thought-provoking, and memorable read. I finished the book, still thinking about the characters and their choices long after I had turned the final page. I can't wait to see what P.J. Gudka writes next.

[Alex Diaz-Granados · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling psychological thriller and a strong debut

I’ve followed P.J. Gudka’s writing on her Lifesfinewhine blog for years, so I was curious to see how her voice would translate into long form fiction. After her 2024 poetry collection, All the Words I Kept Inside, she takes a big leap into the world of psychological thrillers with Perfect—and it’s a promising debut.

The story unfolds through three first person narrators: Sally, her teenage son James, and James’s girlfriend Lily. Their perspectives weave together into a tense, emotionally charged narrative about family secrets, trauma, and the dangerous ways love and loyalty can twist under pressure. Gudka handles the shifting viewpoints well, and the pacing kept me guessing about the murder at the center of the story until the end.

There’s a lot to admire here: the suspense, the emotional stakes, and the way the characters’ inner
lives drive the plot forward. Gudka clearly has a strong instinct for psychological storytelling.

I did find a few aspects less effective. The setting feels a bit too generic at times, lacking the grounded specificity that makes small-town thrillers really come alive. I also struggled with some of the dialogue tags, which occasionally overexplain emotions the dialogue already conveys. These are craft issues, though, not storytelling ones.

Overall, Perfect is an engaging, fast-moving thriller with real emotional weight. For a first novel, it shows genuine talent and leaves me interested in whatever Gudka writes next.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5⭐️

ARC provided by NetGalley

Sally has the perfect life. Perfect marriage, perfect home, perfect children. Until the police show up at her door, accusing her oldest son of murder. Sally is forced to confront the truths of her past to decide - could her perfect son have really done this?

This book was mid at best for me. The jumping around between character perspectives was redundant and confusing, and some of the “twists” were pretty predictable. The writing needs to be tightened up as there were definitely some grammar issues going on as well as continuity issues. Overall the story had potential but the ending really was the final nail in the coffin for me.

[Robert Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us enjoy imagining ourselves as detectives like Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, and in her debut mystery novel, “Perfect,” P.J. Gudka keeps you guessing until the very end. This is a psychological thriller without an obvious villain. All the characters are realistic portrayals of normal families and neighbors with everyday dreams, emotions, and routines, overwhelmed by a tragic event that continues to unfold through the final pages. If you enjoy whodunits that keep you on your toes throughout, I recommend this book—if only for its boldness and creativity in maintaining logical suspense for more than 300 pages. This is the ‘Perfect’ book for a rainy weekend.

[Vicki Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

P.J. Gudka’s “Perfect” is a gem of a story. I was instantly intrigued by characters conveying pain and presence, flaws and redeeming qualities thanks to Gudka's excellent artistry. It’s hard to believe this is her first novel! With a knack for keeping readers wired and curious, the story unfolds at a pace which builds intrigue…so many possible suspects in an unimaginable crime. Dialogue felt crisp and real throughout and the tender touch in addressing anxiety, fractured relationships and secret keeping kept me on the literal edge of my seat. Kudos! “Perfect” was a fabulous ride.

[Himanshu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the kind of psychological thriller that slowly gets underr your skin and refuses to leave your mind. 🖤

It starts like a family drama… but with every chapter, the secrets become darker, the emotions more intense, and the truth more terrifying.

What I loved most was how emotionally raw and unsettling the story feels. You keep questioning every character, every motive, and every “perfect” relationship.

If you enjoy thrillers filled with obsession, family trauma, manipulation, and shocking twists...this one deserves a spot on your TBR immediately.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this. The debut novel reads easily and could take place anywhere. I enjoyed this novel.