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Appetite for Innocence
Be careful what you post online. Your next check-in might lead him right to you...
A serial rapist is kidnapping teenage girls. But he’s not interested in just any teenage girls—only virgins. He hunts them by following their status updates and check-ins on social media. Once he’s captured them, they’re locked away in his sound-proof basement until they’re groomed and ready. He throws them away like pieces of trash after he’s stolen their innocence. Nobody escapes alive.
Until Ella.
Ella risks it all to escape, setting herself and the other girls free. But only Sarah—the girl whose been captive the longest—gets out with her. The girls are hospitalized and surrounded by FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find the man responsible. Ella and Sarah are the key to their investigation, but Sarah’s hiding something and it isn’t long before Ella discovers her nightmare is far from over.
Fans of The Butterfly Garden and The Girl Before will devour Appetite for Innocence.
Warning: Contains sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers.
A serial rapist is kidnapping teenage girls. But he’s not interested in just any teenage girls—only virgins. He hunts them by following their status updates and check-ins on social media. Once he’s captured them, they’re locked away in his sound-proof basement until they’re groomed and ready. He throws them away like pieces of trash after he’s stolen their innocence. Nobody escapes alive.
Until Ella.
Ella risks it all to escape, setting herself and the other girls free. But only Sarah—the girl whose been captive the longest—gets out with her. The girls are hospitalized and surrounded by FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find the man responsible. Ella and Sarah are the key to their investigation, but Sarah’s hiding something and it isn’t long before Ella discovers her nightmare is far from over.
Fans of The Butterfly Garden and The Girl Before will devour Appetite for Innocence.
Warning: Contains sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2017
9888 people are currently reading
72884 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Berry
33 books22.2k 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 6,452 reviews
June 6, 2023
This is definitely my new favorite Lucinda Berry book which is funny because she said it’s her most disturbing one so💀🫠
September 3, 2024
Horrible book that contains depictions of physical and sexual abuse and , but it offers a complex and thoughtful examination of different types of trauma.
A serial rapist is hunting down virgins from their social media profiles, kidnapping them and imprisoning them in his basement. Sarah watches as they come, and, when he's done with them, they leave. Where they go she can't, or won't, say.
Then comes Ella. When the opportunity arises, Ella escapes and Sarah goes with her, which forms the "Now" of the story. Ella and Sarah carry unimaginable trauma from their time in the basement, both fear that their captor is coming for them, but it soon becomes apparent that Sarah isn't being entirely honest and Ella begins to wonder if she is, in fact, safe after all.
I mean, it's skin-crawlingly awful, if that wasn't obvious. The part under the spoiler above was graphic and disgusting. I'm in two minds as to whether all the details were necessary, but perhaps they were needed to capture the horror of it. My favourite part of the book was the character of Sarah and her arc.
A serial rapist is hunting down virgins from their social media profiles, kidnapping them and imprisoning them in his basement. Sarah watches as they come, and, when he's done with them, they leave. Where they go she can't, or won't, say.
Then comes Ella. When the opportunity arises, Ella escapes and Sarah goes with her, which forms the "Now" of the story. Ella and Sarah carry unimaginable trauma from their time in the basement, both fear that their captor is coming for them, but it soon becomes apparent that Sarah isn't being entirely honest and Ella begins to wonder if she is, in fact, safe after all.
I mean, it's skin-crawlingly awful, if that wasn't obvious. The part under the spoiler above was graphic and disgusting. I'm in two minds as to whether all the details were necessary, but perhaps they were needed to capture the horror of it. My favourite part of the book was the character of Sarah and her arc.
April 11, 2022
Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 4/5 | Ending: 4/5
THE PLOT
Ella and Sarah escape from the House of Horrors they've been trapped in with a serial rapist. While hospitalized, FBI agents interview both girls to figure out who the mystery pervert is... But are the girls really telling the TRUTH truth?
MY OPINION
I've read a couple Lucinda Berry novels and I enjoy her unique storylines and writing. She's a former clinical psychologist and I love the angle she brings to these books. They're plausible, yet informative. She does a great job of handling challenging subjects; a nod to her career in psychology.
I picked up this book because I'm deeply disturbed and the premise appealed to me. It was like a Netflix true crime doc on crack. I love, love, loveeee when I one of the POVs is while they're trapped... Maybe *I* need Lucinda's psychological services.
ANYWHO... This isn't much of a whodunnit or a thriller, but a really interesting look at Stockholm Syndrome. You want to shake Sarah, but you also sympathize with her. She did what she needed to do to survive, whereas Ella's way to survive was breaking free. Everyone deals with intense situations differently. Ok, I'm getting too deep.
As with her other novels, I found the ending to be rushed. It was a let down considering how well-executed the rest of the storyline was. Still a great read.
I've included a trigger warning for good reason. I had to skip past the home abortion scene. Too graphic and nauseating.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Good storyline, well-written, interesting POV regarding Stockholm Syndrome
Cons: Anti-climatic ending
THE PLOT
Ella and Sarah escape from the House of Horrors they've been trapped in with a serial rapist. While hospitalized, FBI agents interview both girls to figure out who the mystery pervert is... But are the girls really telling the TRUTH truth?
MY OPINION
I've read a couple Lucinda Berry novels and I enjoy her unique storylines and writing. She's a former clinical psychologist and I love the angle she brings to these books. They're plausible, yet informative. She does a great job of handling challenging subjects; a nod to her career in psychology.
I picked up this book because I'm deeply disturbed and the premise appealed to me. It was like a Netflix true crime doc on crack. I love, love, loveeee when I one of the POVs is while they're trapped... Maybe *I* need Lucinda's psychological services.
ANYWHO... This isn't much of a whodunnit or a thriller, but a really interesting look at Stockholm Syndrome. You want to shake Sarah, but you also sympathize with her. She did what she needed to do to survive, whereas Ella's way to survive was breaking free. Everyone deals with intense situations differently. Ok, I'm getting too deep.
As with her other novels, I found the ending to be rushed. It was a let down considering how well-executed the rest of the storyline was. Still a great read.
I've included a trigger warning for good reason. I had to skip past the home abortion scene. Too graphic and nauseating.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Good storyline, well-written, interesting POV regarding Stockholm Syndrome
Cons: Anti-climatic ending
January 9, 2025
❝ 𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝒾𝑒, 𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓈𝑜. 𝐼 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝑜𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓋𝓎.❞
THIS BOOK!!
Finally a psychological thriller that actually thrilled me. So this is a plot that has been done a time or two before. But in this novel, we have a psycho who stalks his victims via social media, kidnaps them and holds them in his basement. Once in captivity, you meet a handful of his victims and the situations they endure and have to try to maneuver.
"𝐼𝓉 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝒶 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹. 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓀 𝓉𝑜 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃'𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒"
"𝐼 𝓉𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝒻𝒻 𝒸𝒽𝓊𝓃𝓀𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝑜𝒶𝓂 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓊𝓁𝑜𝓊𝓈𝓁𝓎 𝓅𝒾𝒸𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝓊𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎. 𝐼𝓉 𝓉𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝓂𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓉𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹 𝒾𝓉."
"𝒪𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝐼'𝒹 𝒷𝓊𝒾𝓁𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎, 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝓈𝑒𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝒻 𝐼 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒸𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝒾𝒻𝒻𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈- 𝒽𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓈, 𝒹𝑜𝑔𝓈, 𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓈"
I'm telling you, at one point I was questioning almost everyone- everyone except Randy.
✔𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝
✔𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝
✔𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬
✔𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
"𝒫𝓊𝓇𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝑜𝓇. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓂 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝑜𝓇"
This is my first Lucinda Berry novel and I loved it! The writing is spectacular! Descriptive, uncomfortable, suspenseful and chilling. I can't wait to pick up my next one!
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
THIS BOOK!!
Finally a psychological thriller that actually thrilled me. So this is a plot that has been done a time or two before. But in this novel, we have a psycho who stalks his victims via social media, kidnaps them and holds them in his basement. Once in captivity, you meet a handful of his victims and the situations they endure and have to try to maneuver.
"𝐼𝓉 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝒶 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹. 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓀 𝓉𝑜 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃'𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒"
"𝐼 𝓉𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝒻𝒻 𝒸𝒽𝓊𝓃𝓀𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝑜𝒶𝓂 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓊𝓁𝑜𝓊𝓈𝓁𝓎 𝓅𝒾𝒸𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝓊𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎. 𝐼𝓉 𝓉𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝓂𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓉𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹 𝒾𝓉."
"𝒪𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝐼'𝒹 𝒷𝓊𝒾𝓁𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎, 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝓈𝑒𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝒻 𝐼 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒸𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒹𝒾𝒻𝒻𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈- 𝒽𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓈, 𝒹𝑜𝑔𝓈, 𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓈"
I'm telling you, at one point I was questioning almost everyone- everyone except Randy.
✔𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝
✔𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝
✔𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬
✔𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
"𝒫𝓊𝓇𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝑜𝓇. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓂 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝑜𝓇"
This is my first Lucinda Berry novel and I loved it! The writing is spectacular! Descriptive, uncomfortable, suspenseful and chilling. I can't wait to pick up my next one!
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
August 9, 2024
Listened to the audio on a road trip - one of the narrators sounds like a robot. Secondly, where were the details? There’s nothing that sets this story apart from any other kidnapping story. So disappointing.
July 19, 2024
★2 stars
⤷ (After thinking on this one overnight, I’m moving this down a star)
3.5 dark Lucinda Berry thrillers in a row and I think I’m done for a while 😅
☆What to Expect:
Three girls are kidnapped, locked and living in the basement. Two of the girls rotate turns, going upstairs to please the kidnapper by any means necessary, while the third acts as the “help.” Ella and Sarah escape, but even though they’re free, their experiences follow them home and affect them in horrible ways. It’s a trigger warning-filled, dark story of trauma, survival, and like any Berry thriller: psychological responses.
☆My Thoughts:
Normally, back and forth timelines wouldn’t bother me. However, rapid-fire chapters (~5 minutes on the Kindle or less), with two character POVs, rotating between “then” and “now”?? It felt like whiplash and unfortunately had the opposite intended effect on me: I wasn’t invested and fought to DNF (cannot bring myself to DNF a book, I’m a problem I know).
I loved the two Lucinda Berry thrillers I read immediately before this one. Both had me gripped in the storyline, and Berry’s writing made it easy to follow. I’m not sure if it’s because the POVs of Appetite for Innocence are teenage girls, but the writing style felt choppy and robotic–very chronological (i.e. “I did this. Then I did that.”). It’s one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in thriller writing, as the story doesn’t flow well and turns me off from a book. This also added to my overwhelming desire to DNF.
The last 40% of this book? Couldn’t put it down. Once the back and forth timelines ceased and the girls were brought into the real world, I desperately needed to see how this would play out. I won’t say too much, but Ella’s mom…OH I have some choice words for her!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬
As I slept on this overnight, I couldn’t bring myself to rate this any higher as I spent a majority of the book wanting to DNF. No amount of story redemption was going to help in the end! 🤷🏻♀️
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Can’t stop my Lucinda Berry streak!! On to the next! Though we’ll see what my limit is…this one’s about a serial rapist who kidnaps young girls 😬🥴😬🥴 (It starts off with the girls escaping so there ARE positives, albeit minor ones 🥴)
⤷ (After thinking on this one overnight, I’m moving this down a star)
3.5 dark Lucinda Berry thrillers in a row and I think I’m done for a while 😅
☆What to Expect:
Three girls are kidnapped, locked and living in the basement. Two of the girls rotate turns, going upstairs to please the kidnapper by any means necessary, while the third acts as the “help.” Ella and Sarah escape, but even though they’re free, their experiences follow them home and affect them in horrible ways. It’s a trigger warning-filled, dark story of trauma, survival, and like any Berry thriller: psychological responses.
☆My Thoughts:
Normally, back and forth timelines wouldn’t bother me. However, rapid-fire chapters (~5 minutes on the Kindle or less), with two character POVs, rotating between “then” and “now”?? It felt like whiplash and unfortunately had the opposite intended effect on me: I wasn’t invested and fought to DNF (cannot bring myself to DNF a book, I’m a problem I know).
I loved the two Lucinda Berry thrillers I read immediately before this one. Both had me gripped in the storyline, and Berry’s writing made it easy to follow. I’m not sure if it’s because the POVs of Appetite for Innocence are teenage girls, but the writing style felt choppy and robotic–very chronological (i.e. “I did this. Then I did that.”). It’s one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in thriller writing, as the story doesn’t flow well and turns me off from a book. This also added to my overwhelming desire to DNF.
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ But. Knowing Lucinda’s work, I knew the story itself would get better, especially as it’s rated fairly high here on GR. She didn’t let me down.
The last 40% of this book? Couldn’t put it down. Once the back and forth timelines ceased and the girls were brought into the real world, I desperately needed to see how this would play out. I won’t say too much, but Ella’s mom…OH I have some choice words for her!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬
As I slept on this overnight, I couldn’t bring myself to rate this any higher as I spent a majority of the book wanting to DNF. No amount of story redemption was going to help in the end! 🤷🏻♀️
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Can’t stop my Lucinda Berry streak!! On to the next! Though we’ll see what my limit is…this one’s about a serial rapist who kidnaps young girls 😬🥴😬🥴 (It starts off with the girls escaping so there ARE positives, albeit minor ones 🥴)
July 23, 2023
4.25 - WOW! My first Lucinda Berry book did not disappoint. Another book to check trigger warnings for before you read it! About a man who kidnaps young girls - I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything! Very quick and enjoyable read and short chapters if you like that like I do!
September 13, 2021
2.5 Stars
This was supposed to be a suspenseful thriller but I didn’t find it was either of those things more like boring slow paced. It tells the story of two victims of a serial killer/rapist how they cope after they are free it didn’t keep me interested and i had a hard time finishing it. Just meh 😑
September 20, 2024
This follows Ella, the most recent acquisition of a serial pedo/rapist and Sarah, a seasoned vet hostage of said serial pedo/rapist. It is dual timeline, set when they are in captivity and when they are not. I enjoyed both timelines equally. The current day timeline is heartbreaking as Ella struggles with her trauma. Sarah struggles too but in a much different way. The timeline when they are imprisoned alternatively is thrilling and shocking (also not for the faint of heart so check warnings before diving in).
I think this story was done so well and really showcases Lucinda Berry's vast knowledge as a clinical psychologist with a background specifically in childhood trauma. This is a gut-wrenching look into Stockholm syndrome and the varied trauma responses in these two young girls.
This is my second book by this author, and I'm very pleased after Off the Deep End
was a letdown. I'm looking forward to getting through her backlist.
I think this story was done so well and really showcases Lucinda Berry's vast knowledge as a clinical psychologist with a background specifically in childhood trauma. This is a gut-wrenching look into Stockholm syndrome and the varied trauma responses in these two young girls.
This is my second book by this author, and I'm very pleased after Off the Deep End
was a letdown. I'm looking forward to getting through her backlist.
July 20, 2023
I deserve financial compensation from BookTok for recommending this. An absolute waste of time.
August 23, 2023
Was expecting this to be way darker and messed up, but it felt very YA to me.
April 7, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
This is the third book I’ve read by Berry, her first two are Phantom Limb and Missing Parts. I feel like she’s really found her niche as an author and she’s consistently publishing books with dark, but totally fascinating subject matter that are extremely addictive reads.
This is told from two viewpoints, that of Ella and Sarah and it flashes back between Then and Now. Then details the two teenagers time when they were kept prisoner after being kidnapped by a sick and sadistic man named John. Now covers the timeline following when they escaped and are trying to acclimate to life after horrific events. He stalks his victims using social media and he has a very specific type, he only wants pure and innocent virgins. As always, the basic plot sucked me right in and grabbed my attention from the get go.
This is extremely fast paced, there were no moments of boredom and no chance of me losing interest. Berry slowly reveals the girls backstory and you eventually learn how they were kidnapped and how they managed to escape. There were several smaller twists that kept me on my toes and the writing was very dark and graphic. There are multiple scenes portraying abuse, it was hard to read but still really gripping.
As always I love the look into human psychology that Berry brings with her background as a clinical psychologist, it fascinates me. Her books are pure entertainment and wild rides, packed with tension and intrigue, and while they’re on the shorter side, I love being able to devour a book in one sitting.
This is the third book I’ve read by Berry, her first two are Phantom Limb and Missing Parts. I feel like she’s really found her niche as an author and she’s consistently publishing books with dark, but totally fascinating subject matter that are extremely addictive reads.
This is told from two viewpoints, that of Ella and Sarah and it flashes back between Then and Now. Then details the two teenagers time when they were kept prisoner after being kidnapped by a sick and sadistic man named John. Now covers the timeline following when they escaped and are trying to acclimate to life after horrific events. He stalks his victims using social media and he has a very specific type, he only wants pure and innocent virgins. As always, the basic plot sucked me right in and grabbed my attention from the get go.
This is extremely fast paced, there were no moments of boredom and no chance of me losing interest. Berry slowly reveals the girls backstory and you eventually learn how they were kidnapped and how they managed to escape. There were several smaller twists that kept me on my toes and the writing was very dark and graphic. There are multiple scenes portraying abuse, it was hard to read but still really gripping.
As always I love the look into human psychology that Berry brings with her background as a clinical psychologist, it fascinates me. Her books are pure entertainment and wild rides, packed with tension and intrigue, and while they’re on the shorter side, I love being able to devour a book in one sitting.
September 12, 2019
After really loving The Perfect Child by this author I thought I'd read another. This was probably a very good book but I struggled to relate. It covers some nasty topics and all that and was well written but, but... I think I'm just sick of young girls/women being the victims and chose this book to vent with.
May 28, 2024
ooof
Almost a DNF. This book lacked any type of character development and action. The last 3% was the best part. I couldn’t connect with any characters. Couldn’t stand Ella’s mother. Just was not that good. Not sure why it has such high ratings.
Almost a DNF. This book lacked any type of character development and action. The last 3% was the best part. I couldn’t connect with any characters. Couldn’t stand Ella’s mother. Just was not that good. Not sure why it has such high ratings.
May 19, 2025
At first I thought I had read this book before. The first few chapters were so reminiscent of ‘The Butterfly Garden’, which I enjoyed a few years back so I then considered if I wanted to read a similar book for fear of spoiling what was one of the best horror stories. I’m glad I continued at the end I struggled between four or five stars and went for four. The story of the victims of kidnapping was strong and well executed until the ending. personally I didn’t like the ending also I thought the author could have left it more open to follow up books. However, the book was a page turner and did not disappoint. If you enjoyed The Butterfly Garden then this is highly recommend. Not one for the faint hearted with some of the scenes during the kidnap but the author was not afraid to shy away from subjects. Highly recommended book.
June 1, 2023
This book is a fascinating study on the affects of abuse and it’s aftermath. Although the story is fiction, and a very well written though sometimes uncomfortable read, I feel I have learned a great deal about the long lasting damage that adults inflict on children. It’s an interesting and insightful book and I’m glad that I read it.
June 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and I always love Berry’s endings and how we can almost have a part 2. Very engaging story and a fast read would definitely recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers.
October 4, 2023
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This was my first book by Lucinda Berry and it won’t be my last! I really love how fast paced this book felt and I truly didn’t want to put it down! I love how it was dual pov and dual timeline because it made the book actually speed by so fast. I feel like thrillers have to really grab me to keep me interested and this one definitely did!
- The ending was a bit anti climactic and I thought it would end in so many different ways. I also feel like we didn’t get enough of the additional characters to really to make the story fully well rounded.
- I really love how this book shares not only how tough trauma can be, but how everyone gets through trauma in their own way. Can’t wait to read more books from this author!
- This was my first book by Lucinda Berry and it won’t be my last! I really love how fast paced this book felt and I truly didn’t want to put it down! I love how it was dual pov and dual timeline because it made the book actually speed by so fast. I feel like thrillers have to really grab me to keep me interested and this one definitely did!
- The ending was a bit anti climactic and I thought it would end in so many different ways. I also feel like we didn’t get enough of the additional characters to really to make the story fully well rounded.
- I really love how this book shares not only how tough trauma can be, but how everyone gets through trauma in their own way. Can’t wait to read more books from this author!
April 1, 2024
Can we talk about this mom for a minute please? I don’t think a character has boiled my blood to the extent she did… ever. I wanted to reach through the pages and shout at her with all my strength to wake the hell up! I was so infuriated with her.
Ok, now that I got that out of the way let’s talk about this book. It was good, and I really liked it. It was hard-hitting without being overly graphic for shock value. It was a page-burner, and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. I just wanted to know what was coming next. It was well written and competently structured. Overall, this was a solid entry into the genre and opened up my eyes to this author moving forward.
Ok, now that I got that out of the way let’s talk about this book. It was good, and I really liked it. It was hard-hitting without being overly graphic for shock value. It was a page-burner, and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. I just wanted to know what was coming next. It was well written and competently structured. Overall, this was a solid entry into the genre and opened up my eyes to this author moving forward.
June 14, 2024
This was a tough read. It delves into some truly horrific acts of cruelty to children & teenagers. While the plot itself wasn't enjoyable, I have to admit I was curious to see how it would all play out. The ending made sense from a mental health perspective 🤔 , but it was frustratingggg because I hoped for something different to happen😫!
5/5: Short chapters! I love!!
5/5: The writing. It was clear and easy to follow
4/5: The characters. Well-developed! 💔(Sarah, Paige and Ella). Randy, I adored her patience and consistency. Jocelyn! I have to say her saviour complex was pisSing me off!!!
3/5: Narration (Audible) ! I listened at a 2.5 speed. I didn’t know I could do that 🤭, but I had to get to the end.
This one wasn’t for me! But, but, but… I’d like to check out Lucinda Berry’s other books! 🤞🏾I’ll like them!
5/5: Short chapters! I love!!
5/5: The writing. It was clear and easy to follow
4/5: The characters. Well-developed! 💔(Sarah, Paige and Ella). Randy, I adored her patience and consistency. Jocelyn! I have to say her saviour complex was pisSing me off!!!
3/5: Narration (Audible) ! I listened at a 2.5 speed. I didn’t know I could do that 🤭, but I had to get to the end.
This one wasn’t for me! But, but, but… I’d like to check out Lucinda Berry’s other books! 🤞🏾I’ll like them!
May 26, 2024
It was very good but I was left with so many more questions!!! I’m getting used to Lucinda Berrys writing and letting me put my own interpretation on the ending… I’m just not sure I like it.
However this book had me completely captivated and I was very intrigued throughout the entire thing.
However this book had me completely captivated and I was very intrigued throughout the entire thing.
January 13, 2024
why did i ever think that subjecting myself to this torture was a good idea 🙃 no build up, no pay off in the end. just pure, unpleasant misery porn.
March 1, 2023
This is my first book by Lucinda Berry and I find it dark and fascinating. The focus is not for the faint of heart, with the kidnapped girls and serial abductor right at the center and the graphic terror exposed to the girls.
I enjoy the fast pace and the author's writing. I wish the book explores more about the kidnapper's motive and background though, since the means and opportunity to commit the crime are described quite well.
I enjoy the fast pace and the author's writing. I wish the book explores more about the kidnapper's motive and background though, since the means and opportunity to commit the crime are described quite well.
October 1, 2025
Appetite for Innocence hooked me from the start and didn’t let go. It’s dark, emotional, and really raw at times. The characters felt real and I appreciated how the story didn’t just focus on survival, but also on the trauma and what comes after. It was well written and I think if you’re into psychological thrillers that will emotionally scar you then this one’s a must read.
January 7, 2024
After hoping the last Lucinda Berry book I read was a fluke, I think it's safe to say her books are not for me.
None of the characters are likeable. As a victim advocate, don't get me started on Randy and how badly she represents that role. She does not engage in a way that's trauma-informed, like trying to get Ella to "open up" about the rapes after mere days of being in the hospital. Jocelyn, the mother, was insufferable. Her heart is in the right place, but she does not think things through very well (if at all). I don't have much to say about Ella since it feels like we never really get to know her. I did genuinely feel bad for Sarah since given her circumstances, she never really had a chance in life.
The writing is flat. It feels like I'm being told a story rather than becoming immersed in the plot. Sadly, while this has a great premise, it feels more like a bad Lifetime movie with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
Though the plot is certainly dark, it feels like Lucinda Berry is afraid to fully "go there" in a sense. It's like she's afraid to lean into the darkness and truly capture it, choosing to play it safe. Whether that's for her sake or the reader's, I'm not sure, but if you're going to write something disturbing, do it. Don't half-ass it. That's not to say that everything has to be graphic and/or explicit - less can often be more in that sense - but tonally, she never captures the emotion that's necessary to pull off a story like this. Unfortunate, because based on the summaries of the books that I have read and her other published works, Lucinda Berry has some intriguing ideas. The bones of what could be a great story are here, and in a more capable author's hands, it's one I'm sure I'd love. However, I won't be reaching for anything else by this author.
None of the characters are likeable. As a victim advocate, don't get me started on Randy and how badly she represents that role. She does not engage in a way that's trauma-informed, like trying to get Ella to "open up" about the rapes after mere days of being in the hospital. Jocelyn, the mother, was insufferable. Her heart is in the right place, but she does not think things through very well (if at all). I don't have much to say about Ella since it feels like we never really get to know her. I did genuinely feel bad for Sarah since given her circumstances, she never really had a chance in life.
The writing is flat. It feels like I'm being told a story rather than becoming immersed in the plot. Sadly, while this has a great premise, it feels more like a bad Lifetime movie with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
Though the plot is certainly dark, it feels like Lucinda Berry is afraid to fully "go there" in a sense. It's like she's afraid to lean into the darkness and truly capture it, choosing to play it safe. Whether that's for her sake or the reader's, I'm not sure, but if you're going to write something disturbing, do it. Don't half-ass it. That's not to say that everything has to be graphic and/or explicit - less can often be more in that sense - but tonally, she never captures the emotion that's necessary to pull off a story like this. Unfortunate, because based on the summaries of the books that I have read and her other published works, Lucinda Berry has some intriguing ideas. The bones of what could be a great story are here, and in a more capable author's hands, it's one I'm sure I'd love. However, I won't be reaching for anything else by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2025
I love when I stumble across a good thriller. I binged this one. Tough topic, ofc, but really is a great book. Definitely read the trigger warnings before you read. Full RTC.
Read
July 2, 2023A serial rapist, John, is kidnapping teenage girls, but he isn’t interested in all teenage girls. He targets virgins. By following their social media accounts, he bides his time and waits for the perfect opportunity. Locked away in a soundproof cellar, they are groomed until they are ready. However, when Ella arrives at the basement, Sarah knows she is different from the others. Sarah has been in the basement the longest and knows how things work. Nobody escapes alive. Or maybe they do….
Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry was my first experience with this author and I am pleased to say it will not be my last! From the first moments of the book, I was hooked. Fast paced and full of tension, I could not tear my eyes away from the pages as I became consumed by the story of the girl’s captivity.
The novel opens with the girls waking up in a hospital. From there, we hear of their captivity, they abduction and the events that took place during their time in the cellar. Initially, I was a little confused with this narrative style. The novel is told between alternating characters (Sarah and Ella) but also in two alternating time periods (then and now). Sometimes the chapters would be back to back with Sarah (then) and Sarah (now). However, after a few chapters, I settled right in.
Ella and Sarah were both fascinating characters to watch their development and story arcs unfold; both coming from completely different perspectives and dealing with their trauma in completely different ways.
This novel claims to be for fans of The Girl Before by Rena Olsen or The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison and I completely agree. I was thinking of these novels throughout my reading and was pleasantly surprised when I went to the read the book’s synopsis and these books were mentioned.
I would absolutely recommend this novel to anyone looking for something fast paced or for someone who enjoys a novel with a lot of psychological development; this one will get you thinking!
Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry was my first experience with this author and I am pleased to say it will not be my last! From the first moments of the book, I was hooked. Fast paced and full of tension, I could not tear my eyes away from the pages as I became consumed by the story of the girl’s captivity.
The novel opens with the girls waking up in a hospital. From there, we hear of their captivity, they abduction and the events that took place during their time in the cellar. Initially, I was a little confused with this narrative style. The novel is told between alternating characters (Sarah and Ella) but also in two alternating time periods (then and now). Sometimes the chapters would be back to back with Sarah (then) and Sarah (now). However, after a few chapters, I settled right in.
Ella and Sarah were both fascinating characters to watch their development and story arcs unfold; both coming from completely different perspectives and dealing with their trauma in completely different ways.
This novel claims to be for fans of The Girl Before by Rena Olsen or The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison and I completely agree. I was thinking of these novels throughout my reading and was pleasantly surprised when I went to the read the book’s synopsis and these books were mentioned.
I would absolutely recommend this novel to anyone looking for something fast paced or for someone who enjoys a novel with a lot of psychological development; this one will get you thinking!
November 1, 2025
I’m a sucker for kidnapping books and I usually love Lucinda Berry books, but APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE didn’t grab me the way I hoped. Told from the Then and Now points of view of Sarah and Ella, two of John’s victims, I had trouble connecting to the characters. I most connected with Paige, another captive.
Sarah, held for four years and suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, became John’s helper. On the surface she seemed hard, but her actions were part self-preservation, part traumatic response and part trying to protect the other teens.
Ella, held for four months, saw Sarah as an extension of John and attached to Paige. She couldn’t find empathy for Sarah, understandable, but also made life more difficult. Her mother Jocelyn had a heart of gold.
I wish Paige had had her own point of view.
APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE was a slow read. Flipping from the different time frames and the different points of view within those time periods slowed the reading because of the various different Thens for Ella and Sarah.
Though technically an adult novel it reads like YA lit, which is filled with better stories of kidnapping and recovery than APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE.
Sarah, held for four years and suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, became John’s helper. On the surface she seemed hard, but her actions were part self-preservation, part traumatic response and part trying to protect the other teens.
Ella, held for four months, saw Sarah as an extension of John and attached to Paige. She couldn’t find empathy for Sarah, understandable, but also made life more difficult. Her mother Jocelyn had a heart of gold.
I wish Paige had had her own point of view.
APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE was a slow read. Flipping from the different time frames and the different points of view within those time periods slowed the reading because of the various different Thens for Ella and Sarah.
Though technically an adult novel it reads like YA lit, which is filled with better stories of kidnapping and recovery than APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2021
Psychological thriller?! No. Not even.
The story is told between the POV of two of the victims. One who came from a loving home (Elle) and one who’s only know extreme abuse her whole life (Sarah). It couldn’t have been more predictable if it tried. I kept waiting for something to warrant “Psychological thriller” but nothing came. It’s a sad story but that’s it.
One thing that was definitely annoying is the small overlook the author made of not at least doing a google search on the town Elle was supposedly from. It wouldn’t have bothered me if she didn’t mention it as many times as she did but she described Aurora, Colorado as a small town with one stop light. It’s almost 500k people. I don’t know why it bugs me so much but there it is.
The story is told between the POV of two of the victims. One who came from a loving home (Elle) and one who’s only know extreme abuse her whole life (Sarah). It couldn’t have been more predictable if it tried. I kept waiting for something to warrant “Psychological thriller” but nothing came. It’s a sad story but that’s it.
One thing that was definitely annoying is the small overlook the author made of not at least doing a google search on the town Elle was supposedly from. It wouldn’t have bothered me if she didn’t mention it as many times as she did but she described Aurora, Colorado as a small town with one stop light. It’s almost 500k people. I don’t know why it bugs me so much but there it is.
March 20, 2023
This book was fast paced and kept me wanting to read. It has short chapters, and is told through Sarah and Ella’s points of view in past and present tense. This is a story about girls who where kidnapped by John and kept in the basement. About what life was like for them in the beginning of their capture all the way through after they were rescued. It talks about their fragile states of mind, Stockholm syndrome, and unhealthy coping. This book was phenomenal, however it was a hard, uncomfortable read. The writing was top notch, and I love how Berry showed how two people can go through the same experience, and have majorly different coping mechanisms and perspectives.
This was my first Lucinda Berry book, and I will definitely be reading more!
This was my first Lucinda Berry book, and I will definitely be reading more!
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