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Off the Deep End
A heart-stopping psychological thriller about the shades of truth and the power of lies in the wake of one mother’s unspeakable loss.
Therapist turned stay-at-home mom Jules Hart’s idyllic suburban life shatters when she crashes her car into an icy lake. Her son and another teenage boy plunge into the water with her, but Jules can only manage to save one—the wrong one.
Reeling from the death of her son, Jules spirals into a violent and unstable mental state. Ten months after the accident, she’s still trying to reckon with the fact that she rescued Isaac Greer, another woman’s child, when Isaac suddenly vanishes.
Jules finds herself at the center of a massive police investigation. While she harbors her own dangerous secrets, Jules is adamant that she didn’t take Isaac. But then who did? Is Isaac the victim of a dangerous killer who’s been targeting boys in the Midwest? Or is someone else pulling the strings in this deadly game?
Therapist turned stay-at-home mom Jules Hart’s idyllic suburban life shatters when she crashes her car into an icy lake. Her son and another teenage boy plunge into the water with her, but Jules can only manage to save one—the wrong one.
Reeling from the death of her son, Jules spirals into a violent and unstable mental state. Ten months after the accident, she’s still trying to reckon with the fact that she rescued Isaac Greer, another woman’s child, when Isaac suddenly vanishes.
Jules finds herself at the center of a massive police investigation. While she harbors her own dangerous secrets, Jules is adamant that she didn’t take Isaac. But then who did? Is Isaac the victim of a dangerous killer who’s been targeting boys in the Midwest? Or is someone else pulling the strings in this deadly game?
259 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2023
6822 people are currently reading
55172 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Berry
29 books21k 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 3,575 reviews
August 10, 2022
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it.
The beginning setup was intriguing, but the further I read the more frustrated I felt. Both the main characters- Jules and Amber were insufferable. I felt nothing for either of them and then we go into a plot of a serial killer that has been stalking the community.
I just wasn't invested in any of it and wasn't even interested in what happened to Isaac! He goes missing, everyone is acting bizarre, someone has lost it, and who cares? Not me. Every single character annoyed me and the ending was just nonsensical.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT January 10, 2022
The beginning setup was intriguing, but the further I read the more frustrated I felt. Both the main characters- Jules and Amber were insufferable. I felt nothing for either of them and then we go into a plot of a serial killer that has been stalking the community.
I just wasn't invested in any of it and wasn't even interested in what happened to Isaac! He goes missing, everyone is acting bizarre, someone has lost it, and who cares? Not me. Every single character annoyed me and the ending was just nonsensical.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT January 10, 2022
June 24, 2022
Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before publication. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
And thank you SabiReads for ranting about this book with me :)
Writing: 2/5 | Plot: 2/5 | Ending: 2/5
THE PLOT
The title sums it up. Jules literally goes off the deep end by crashing her car in the icy river. Then she mentally goes off the deep end and begins grooming the other survivor of the crash, a 15-year-old boy named Isaac. And when Isaac goes missing, his parents wonder if it was because of a serial killer snatching boys off da skreets or because of Jules going off the deep end.
THIS BOOK IS LIKE...
Paying for a Michelin 5 star restaurant and they serve you a big Mac and you're like ight that's fine but I didn't pay $135 this
MY OPINION
First things first, this was MUCH better than Under Her Care. This was closer to Lucinda Berry's previous bangers—Appetite for Innocence and Saving Noah. However, similar to UHC, I found myself wishing Jules to get in the car with Amber (Isaac's mom) and drive into the river again. They are both insufferable.
So then I was thinking to myself, why the fuck do I dislike her last two books so much? And thanks to jet lag, I woke up at 4am and realized it's because she doesn't write good adult characters. Berry is a child psychologist, so when she writes from the POV of a child, she absolutely nails it. She captures the child's mind perfectly.
But when she writes an adult POV, she doesn't change her approach. The adult characters have the same traits as the children, so they come off delusional, immature, and annoying af. The amount of times a grown adult "giggled" in this story should be illegal. I never want to read that word again. Also proclaiming "I knew I was right!!!" when the lead detective confirms your suspicions about Jules potentially being involved with your sons kidnapping is possibly the most immature reaction you could have.
SPOILER WARNING SO SCROLL FURIOUSLY TO THE BOTTOM IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT
And like UHC, I found the choice of POVs useless given how the story panned out. What was the point of Jules other than to provide shock value. She had absolutely nothing to do with the "final act." Nothing. It seemed like she was there to demonstrate different symptoms of severe trauma as part of a training manual or something. Every time the psychologist (mad unprofessional btw) mentioned a "symptom" like hyper-sexuality, suddenly Jules would take on those traits. It was like a weird game of "Simon says"—Dr. Stephens says.
Given that the conclusion was about how Isaac used video games to spread and encourage violence which then bubbled over into real life (btw there were no clues that would be the ending whatsoever, it was just tossed on in there), one of the POVs should've been his. I didn't need to read about Amber saying: JULES DID THIS SHIT every single chapter. She provided no value to the story either. The worried mother shtick got real old real fast.
Lastly, like UHC, which I believe should've been about munchausen disorder instead of autism, I think the focus of this book was off. Considering how it ended, it should've focused on how bullying pushed Isaac to find comfort in an online world where he could be the bullier, and then drove him to commit awful violent crimes IRL. The whole video game thing wasn't even mentioned until 80% of the book was done, but yet it was crucial to Isaac's final act. I don't get it? Anyways.
I hope Lucinda goes back to writing children's POVs and leaves the adults as side characters. That's why Appetite for Innocence goes so hard. I remember when I read Saving Noah I wanted to fight the mom so bad, but the storyline and flashbacks were so interesting, I could blow past it. But when I'm forced to endure TWO painfully immature "adult" POVs, I just can't do it. It's tough to enjoy a book when you can't identify who the protagonist is.
PROS AND CONS:
Pros: better than under her care, the content was more interesting
Cons: wanted to fight both of the adults, did not give a single fuck if Isaac turned up dead or alive, the ending was so random.
And thank you SabiReads for ranting about this book with me :)
Writing: 2/5 | Plot: 2/5 | Ending: 2/5
THE PLOT
The title sums it up. Jules literally goes off the deep end by crashing her car in the icy river. Then she mentally goes off the deep end and begins grooming the other survivor of the crash, a 15-year-old boy named Isaac. And when Isaac goes missing, his parents wonder if it was because of a serial killer snatching boys off da skreets or because of Jules going off the deep end.
THIS BOOK IS LIKE...
Paying for a Michelin 5 star restaurant and they serve you a big Mac and you're like ight that's fine but I didn't pay $135 this
MY OPINION
First things first, this was MUCH better than Under Her Care. This was closer to Lucinda Berry's previous bangers—Appetite for Innocence and Saving Noah. However, similar to UHC, I found myself wishing Jules to get in the car with Amber (Isaac's mom) and drive into the river again. They are both insufferable.
So then I was thinking to myself, why the fuck do I dislike her last two books so much? And thanks to jet lag, I woke up at 4am and realized it's because she doesn't write good adult characters. Berry is a child psychologist, so when she writes from the POV of a child, she absolutely nails it. She captures the child's mind perfectly.
But when she writes an adult POV, she doesn't change her approach. The adult characters have the same traits as the children, so they come off delusional, immature, and annoying af. The amount of times a grown adult "giggled" in this story should be illegal. I never want to read that word again. Also proclaiming "I knew I was right!!!" when the lead detective confirms your suspicions about Jules potentially being involved with your sons kidnapping is possibly the most immature reaction you could have.
SPOILER WARNING SO SCROLL FURIOUSLY TO THE BOTTOM IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT
And like UHC, I found the choice of POVs useless given how the story panned out. What was the point of Jules other than to provide shock value. She had absolutely nothing to do with the "final act." Nothing. It seemed like she was there to demonstrate different symptoms of severe trauma as part of a training manual or something. Every time the psychologist (mad unprofessional btw) mentioned a "symptom" like hyper-sexuality, suddenly Jules would take on those traits. It was like a weird game of "Simon says"—Dr. Stephens says.
Given that the conclusion was about how Isaac used video games to spread and encourage violence which then bubbled over into real life (btw there were no clues that would be the ending whatsoever, it was just tossed on in there), one of the POVs should've been his. I didn't need to read about Amber saying: JULES DID THIS SHIT every single chapter. She provided no value to the story either. The worried mother shtick got real old real fast.
Lastly, like UHC, which I believe should've been about munchausen disorder instead of autism, I think the focus of this book was off. Considering how it ended, it should've focused on how bullying pushed Isaac to find comfort in an online world where he could be the bullier, and then drove him to commit awful violent crimes IRL. The whole video game thing wasn't even mentioned until 80% of the book was done, but yet it was crucial to Isaac's final act. I don't get it? Anyways.
I hope Lucinda goes back to writing children's POVs and leaves the adults as side characters. That's why Appetite for Innocence goes so hard. I remember when I read Saving Noah I wanted to fight the mom so bad, but the storyline and flashbacks were so interesting, I could blow past it. But when I'm forced to endure TWO painfully immature "adult" POVs, I just can't do it. It's tough to enjoy a book when you can't identify who the protagonist is.
PROS AND CONS:
Pros: better than under her care, the content was more interesting
Cons: wanted to fight both of the adults, did not give a single fuck if Isaac turned up dead or alive, the ending was so random.
January 16, 2023
Wtf did I just read 🙂
June 25, 2022
Deep water......Deep panic......Escaping Death
Within seconds, life as we know is forever changed. Just one faulty connective in the scheme of things can cause a profound tragedy that just keeps on giving.
Juliet "Jules" Hart, marriage and family counselor, is anxious just to get home that late afternoon. She's traveling the icy roads around Falcon Lake in southern Minnesota. Her two teenage passengers, son Gabe and neighbor Isaac, have their eyes glued to their phones and don't notice the deer leaping in front of their car. Jules slams on the brakes and the vehicle pivots madly off the road and into the freezing lake water. And what transpires here on out will be the basis for a very intricate and mind-numbing novel.
Lucinda Berry will take us into the aftermath of this horrendous accident. Two families who must deal with the onset of horror, loss, and psychological damage in the embers of this unspeakable incident. Berry is a pro when it comes to the psychology of these events. She walks us through the trauma visited upon these people in chapters headed by Jules' voice as well as by Amber's voice. You've settled into this superbly written toss-up into a storm of emotions..... Until it becomes a hurricane of brokenness and a disconnected headspin of off-the-wall actions and mindless occurences.
Hear me out: Off the Deep End was exactly that. Berry began with the slam of the impact on two mothers and two sons. I was hooked. And then the threads began to unravel. Events seemed to be ripped from psychological case studies and inserted here and there for their shock value. Long chapters gave way to tedious dialogue in regard to Jules and Amber. Jules' sessions with her psychologist ran the same flag up the same flagpole continuously. All the usual signposts of inattentiveness, lack of intervention, faulty parental skills, and hard denial are spilling out at a rapid rate.
Off the Deep End could have been a blazing winner for Lucinda Berry if she would have stuck to the initial theme. Instead, we're following all the recent headlines from serial killers to shootings. Berry seemed compelled to get it all in here in order to accomplish her goal. It may present itself better with some readers, but I found myself sitting in the heavy weight of excess.....including the off the hemisphere ending.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Lucinda Berry for the opportunity.
Within seconds, life as we know is forever changed. Just one faulty connective in the scheme of things can cause a profound tragedy that just keeps on giving.
Juliet "Jules" Hart, marriage and family counselor, is anxious just to get home that late afternoon. She's traveling the icy roads around Falcon Lake in southern Minnesota. Her two teenage passengers, son Gabe and neighbor Isaac, have their eyes glued to their phones and don't notice the deer leaping in front of their car. Jules slams on the brakes and the vehicle pivots madly off the road and into the freezing lake water. And what transpires here on out will be the basis for a very intricate and mind-numbing novel.
Lucinda Berry will take us into the aftermath of this horrendous accident. Two families who must deal with the onset of horror, loss, and psychological damage in the embers of this unspeakable incident. Berry is a pro when it comes to the psychology of these events. She walks us through the trauma visited upon these people in chapters headed by Jules' voice as well as by Amber's voice. You've settled into this superbly written toss-up into a storm of emotions..... Until it becomes a hurricane of brokenness and a disconnected headspin of off-the-wall actions and mindless occurences.
Hear me out: Off the Deep End was exactly that. Berry began with the slam of the impact on two mothers and two sons. I was hooked. And then the threads began to unravel. Events seemed to be ripped from psychological case studies and inserted here and there for their shock value. Long chapters gave way to tedious dialogue in regard to Jules and Amber. Jules' sessions with her psychologist ran the same flag up the same flagpole continuously. All the usual signposts of inattentiveness, lack of intervention, faulty parental skills, and hard denial are spilling out at a rapid rate.
Off the Deep End could have been a blazing winner for Lucinda Berry if she would have stuck to the initial theme. Instead, we're following all the recent headlines from serial killers to shootings. Berry seemed compelled to get it all in here in order to accomplish her goal. It may present itself better with some readers, but I found myself sitting in the heavy weight of excess.....including the off the hemisphere ending.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Lucinda Berry for the opportunity.
December 22, 2022
I think I need to remove Lucinda Berry from my auto-request without hesitation list. From now on I plan to wait to read some reviews before I get my finger trigger ready. You live, you learn.
This book irritated my every last nerve.
We have Jules picking up her son Gabe from basketball practice when at the last minute she receives a call from her neighbor, Amber, asking if she could also pick up her son Isaac as well because she's held up in the city with her daughter. No problem-o! That is until the car they're riding in careens into a lake after avoiding a deer in the road. Jules grabs the hand of her boy and brings him to safety when she realizes it's Isaac not Gabe. Gabe dies and Jules and Isaac are left picking up the pieces of their now shattered lives.
Sounds heartbreaking, doesn't it?
Well let me tell you it isn't. I have never wanted to throttle two grown women more than Jules and Amber.
The ever giggling Jules is now in a psychiatric ward being interviewed by a forensic psychologist who is trying to figure out the *special* relationship she now has with Isaac, one in which his family took a restraining order out on her to keep her away. *giggles* Isaac is now missing and everyone seems to believe Jules might know more than she's letting on. *giggles*
Jules went from a seemingly completely normal woman to full on fruit loops and it made no sense whatsoever. Listen, I understand she lost a child, one in which she blames herself completely for, and obviously that would cause severe PTSD, but this was next level cuckoo. I won't go into details because of spoilers but she was 100% inappropriate in every single way in regards to Isaac. And let's not forget she was also caught diddling herself on a park bench?!?! WTF??? 🤢 You can't blame losing a child on that kind of bizarre (disgusting!) behavior.
Amber isn't much better. Her dialogue was like fingernails on a chalkboard for me. Every chapter she's screaming at everyone to investigate Jules even though Jules is locked up in a psychiatric ward. One she even breaks into in order to confront her. Cue eye roll! 🙄
Meanwhile there's a serial killer on the loose killing teenage boys. The MO fit's perfect into Isaacs disappearance. Out walking dog, cell phone found on the side of the road, and a perfectly wrapped box of the last clothes he was wearing discovered in a local park - like all the other victims but Amber can't and won't believe it. It's Jules, Jules, Jules and she is not willing to consider anything else and will stop at nothing to prove her point.
We wrap this turd up with a resolution that comes completely out of left field. Like what? How did we even get here? The nail in the coffin was at the very end when I may have even threw up in my mouth a little bit. A turkey baster? 🤮 No, just no. 2 *I'm feeling generous because it's Christmas* stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
This book irritated my every last nerve.
We have Jules picking up her son Gabe from basketball practice when at the last minute she receives a call from her neighbor, Amber, asking if she could also pick up her son Isaac as well because she's held up in the city with her daughter. No problem-o! That is until the car they're riding in careens into a lake after avoiding a deer in the road. Jules grabs the hand of her boy and brings him to safety when she realizes it's Isaac not Gabe. Gabe dies and Jules and Isaac are left picking up the pieces of their now shattered lives.
Sounds heartbreaking, doesn't it?
Well let me tell you it isn't. I have never wanted to throttle two grown women more than Jules and Amber.
The ever giggling Jules is now in a psychiatric ward being interviewed by a forensic psychologist who is trying to figure out the *special* relationship she now has with Isaac, one in which his family took a restraining order out on her to keep her away. *giggles* Isaac is now missing and everyone seems to believe Jules might know more than she's letting on. *giggles*
Jules went from a seemingly completely normal woman to full on fruit loops and it made no sense whatsoever. Listen, I understand she lost a child, one in which she blames herself completely for, and obviously that would cause severe PTSD, but this was next level cuckoo. I won't go into details because of spoilers but she was 100% inappropriate in every single way in regards to Isaac. And let's not forget she was also caught diddling herself on a park bench?!?! WTF??? 🤢 You can't blame losing a child on that kind of bizarre (disgusting!) behavior.
Amber isn't much better. Her dialogue was like fingernails on a chalkboard for me. Every chapter she's screaming at everyone to investigate Jules even though Jules is locked up in a psychiatric ward. One she even breaks into in order to confront her. Cue eye roll! 🙄
Meanwhile there's a serial killer on the loose killing teenage boys. The MO fit's perfect into Isaacs disappearance. Out walking dog, cell phone found on the side of the road, and a perfectly wrapped box of the last clothes he was wearing discovered in a local park - like all the other victims but Amber can't and won't believe it. It's Jules, Jules, Jules and she is not willing to consider anything else and will stop at nothing to prove her point.
We wrap this turd up with a resolution that comes completely out of left field. Like what? How did we even get here? The nail in the coffin was at the very end when I may have even threw up in my mouth a little bit. A turkey baster? 🤮 No, just no. 2 *I'm feeling generous because it's Christmas* stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
January 31, 2023
Are you reading this book? Are you bored and looking for spoilers and NO ONE CAN DO SPOILERS RIGHT? THEY ALL SAY SPOILERS AND YET THEY ARE DOING MINOR SMALL ONES THAT SHOULDNT EVEN CLASSIFY AS SPOILERS?
WELL YOU FOUND ME AND IM GONNA SPOIL ( ACTUALLY SPOIL IT FOR YOU TO PUT YOUR MISERY TO REST)
1. Isaac isnt kidnapped. He went into hiding at his friend Allen's house. Why you ask? To plan a school sh0oting. Allen has been in and out of juvenile detention centers since he was a kid and was just waiting for someone to come along and help. Isaac who is all depressed and suicidal fell right into his lap and they planned it. Isaac planned to unalive himself during it. Allen this was just fun and games for him. They staged the kidnapping so the authorities would check backcountry roads and not the town. Allen and two other guys that were apart of the thing all passed. leaving Isaac as a sole survivor.
2. Now why did Isaac want to do all this? Well my dear, Isaac has been dealing with survivor's guilt. Why? Oh hold on to your seats for this. Before the accident Gabe and Isaac switched seats. Isaac said he was feeling sick ( he now says he wasn't actually sick and knew he never should have switched seats but did it anyways) and he also wore his seatbelt and Gabe did not because Jules, unbuckled his. leaving Gabe unsafe and falling to his death during the accident. And how death is always following him ( like hes alex from final destination or something) and he tries to take his own life at this point I know, i know i sense you rolling your eyes.
3. Also (if you made it to this point) Isaac visiting Jules was a ruse part of the plan for the school sh**ting. They got them in 4k at like walmart and whatever buying b*llets and stuff
4. Jules obsession with Isaac. He willingly gave her his sperm to have a freaking baby? And during this standoff she's saying " their love is real and who cares about age when they are cosmic lovers and blah blah and Isaac calls her a creepy old crazy women cause she's 41 and his 15
5. They even have the audacity to mention Sandyhook and Newtown. In this book as well as the dangers and effects bullying has. The psychiatrist that speaks with Jules? Yeah he mentions he worked with parents of children who were victims of Sandyhook and Newtown? Like excuse me?
6. Isaac's mom goes on and on about how Issac was bullied and had targets on the bullied kids backs but "they didn't deserve to die no matter what" and Nancy Grace and others deem the accident Isaac was in as the tipping point of him going "Off The Deep End" lol see what i did there?
7. The mom also remembers a day where his oatmeal wasnt the right consistency and when she offered to fix it he gave her this weird bone chilling look and wondered if he had always been this disgruntled teenager and if this was just part of his life plan. And if her not picking him up that fateful day also was the beginning of the end
8. Jules, yeah her case was officially closed. She never told the psycharist anything about Isaac because " she just couldn't betray him" he was her luvaaaaahhhh ( not really but you get the point) i mean he is the father of her child. but she did go to jail for witholding information as well as sexual abuse. her jail was a nursery so she gets to have birth and keep her baby in jail? wtf? but she also only has 3 more months left & she still swears up and down she was a good influence on him and their love is true
9. the parents of the kids isaac k****d filed a suit against his family because they (isaacs parents) didn't file a report about terror**tic activities because he had been playing a violent video game ( which they knew about) and acted out similar attacks online and a bunch of kids from the school confessed to knowing about it as some played with isaac and the others
10. The game was called Dracho. Why im bringing this up is because during the stand off with isaac jules and isaac parents. His dad admitted to playing the game WITH ISAAC! Isaac didn't know it was his dad until he brought it up to stop Issac from unaliving himself and said if he did who will eat burgers and throw bottles at people (in the game) with him and isaac said omg your so and so? and the dad said yes son thats me.
11. Now i bet your like what happens to Isaac and Jules since she's in jail? Isaac isn't in jail yet the trial hasn't happened and he's looking at like life and stuff but he is seeing a psychiatrist and while he was in jail for a bit THEY STILL HAD COMMUNICATION! THEY DIDN'T SEND THE LETTERS DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER FOR FEAR OF GETTING CAUGHT SO IT WAS WRITTEN IN CODES.
12. Oh yes before you fly off the handle ( if you haven't already) they did not have sex. he used a turkey baster. she didn't want to "blur the lines of their relationship?) she said " i helped him with his school project and he helped me with mine. He kept me alive i kept him alive" they planned that for WEEKS (the baby i mean)
13. Oh yeah and when she showed up at Isaac house banging on the door and stuff. That was because he had sent her a weird message that had threats that she knew what he was planning (unaliving himself) and she wanted to stop him. She didn't tell his parents because she didn't wanna lose his trust
14. And no she doesn't get with the Dr.
so thats the book. THOSE ARE THE SPOILERS, YOU CAN STOP READING NOW. YOUR WELCOME. I DONT LIKE THE USAGE OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTING ASPECT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLE WAAAAY DIFFERENTLY OR NOT AT ALL SHE BROUGHT UP THE KILLER AND COULDVE USED THAT OR HAD JULES BE THE ONE HOLDING HIM CAPTIVE BECAUSE SHE WENT OFF THE DEEP END AND USED HIM AS A REPLACEMENT SON? ANYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN WHAT SHE CHOSE TO DO. THIS WAS JUST....NOT IT. NOT AT ALL THIS WAS IMO DISRESPECTFUL VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND DISGUSTING
WELL YOU FOUND ME AND IM GONNA SPOIL ( ACTUALLY SPOIL IT FOR YOU TO PUT YOUR MISERY TO REST)
1. Isaac isnt kidnapped. He went into hiding at his friend Allen's house. Why you ask? To plan a school sh0oting. Allen has been in and out of juvenile detention centers since he was a kid and was just waiting for someone to come along and help. Isaac who is all depressed and suicidal fell right into his lap and they planned it. Isaac planned to unalive himself during it. Allen this was just fun and games for him. They staged the kidnapping so the authorities would check backcountry roads and not the town. Allen and two other guys that were apart of the thing all passed. leaving Isaac as a sole survivor.
2. Now why did Isaac want to do all this? Well my dear, Isaac has been dealing with survivor's guilt. Why? Oh hold on to your seats for this. Before the accident Gabe and Isaac switched seats. Isaac said he was feeling sick ( he now says he wasn't actually sick and knew he never should have switched seats but did it anyways) and he also wore his seatbelt and Gabe did not because Jules, unbuckled his. leaving Gabe unsafe and falling to his death during the accident. And how death is always following him ( like hes alex from final destination or something) and he tries to take his own life at this point I know, i know i sense you rolling your eyes.
3. Also (if you made it to this point) Isaac visiting Jules was a ruse part of the plan for the school sh**ting. They got them in 4k at like walmart and whatever buying b*llets and stuff
4. Jules obsession with Isaac. He willingly gave her his sperm to have a freaking baby? And during this standoff she's saying " their love is real and who cares about age when they are cosmic lovers and blah blah and Isaac calls her a creepy old crazy women cause she's 41 and his 15
5. They even have the audacity to mention Sandyhook and Newtown. In this book as well as the dangers and effects bullying has. The psychiatrist that speaks with Jules? Yeah he mentions he worked with parents of children who were victims of Sandyhook and Newtown? Like excuse me?
6. Isaac's mom goes on and on about how Issac was bullied and had targets on the bullied kids backs but "they didn't deserve to die no matter what" and Nancy Grace and others deem the accident Isaac was in as the tipping point of him going "Off The Deep End" lol see what i did there?
7. The mom also remembers a day where his oatmeal wasnt the right consistency and when she offered to fix it he gave her this weird bone chilling look and wondered if he had always been this disgruntled teenager and if this was just part of his life plan. And if her not picking him up that fateful day also was the beginning of the end
8. Jules, yeah her case was officially closed. She never told the psycharist anything about Isaac because " she just couldn't betray him" he was her luvaaaaahhhh ( not really but you get the point) i mean he is the father of her child. but she did go to jail for witholding information as well as sexual abuse. her jail was a nursery so she gets to have birth and keep her baby in jail? wtf? but she also only has 3 more months left & she still swears up and down she was a good influence on him and their love is true
9. the parents of the kids isaac k****d filed a suit against his family because they (isaacs parents) didn't file a report about terror**tic activities because he had been playing a violent video game ( which they knew about) and acted out similar attacks online and a bunch of kids from the school confessed to knowing about it as some played with isaac and the others
10. The game was called Dracho. Why im bringing this up is because during the stand off with isaac jules and isaac parents. His dad admitted to playing the game WITH ISAAC! Isaac didn't know it was his dad until he brought it up to stop Issac from unaliving himself and said if he did who will eat burgers and throw bottles at people (in the game) with him and isaac said omg your so and so? and the dad said yes son thats me.
11. Now i bet your like what happens to Isaac and Jules since she's in jail? Isaac isn't in jail yet the trial hasn't happened and he's looking at like life and stuff but he is seeing a psychiatrist and while he was in jail for a bit THEY STILL HAD COMMUNICATION! THEY DIDN'T SEND THE LETTERS DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER FOR FEAR OF GETTING CAUGHT SO IT WAS WRITTEN IN CODES.
12. Oh yes before you fly off the handle ( if you haven't already) they did not have sex. he used a turkey baster. she didn't want to "blur the lines of their relationship?) she said " i helped him with his school project and he helped me with mine. He kept me alive i kept him alive" they planned that for WEEKS (the baby i mean)
13. Oh yeah and when she showed up at Isaac house banging on the door and stuff. That was because he had sent her a weird message that had threats that she knew what he was planning (unaliving himself) and she wanted to stop him. She didn't tell his parents because she didn't wanna lose his trust
14. And no she doesn't get with the Dr.
so thats the book. THOSE ARE THE SPOILERS, YOU CAN STOP READING NOW. YOUR WELCOME. I DONT LIKE THE USAGE OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTING ASPECT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLE WAAAAY DIFFERENTLY OR NOT AT ALL SHE BROUGHT UP THE KILLER AND COULDVE USED THAT OR HAD JULES BE THE ONE HOLDING HIM CAPTIVE BECAUSE SHE WENT OFF THE DEEP END AND USED HIM AS A REPLACEMENT SON? ANYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN WHAT SHE CHOSE TO DO. THIS WAS JUST....NOT IT. NOT AT ALL THIS WAS IMO DISRESPECTFUL VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND DISGUSTING
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2023
Talk about an apt title!
Former therapist Jules Hart crashes her car in an icy lake. She reaches out to save her son but instead saves her son's friend. Reeling from her son's death, Jules has a decline in her mental state. She is not acting like herself and is engaging in unhealthy and inappropriate behaviors.
Isaac Greer is the young man that Jules saved from the icy crash. Isaac goes missing and Jules finds herself at the heart of the investigation. Jules states she did not take Isaac. Where is he?
Needless to say, I was not giggling while I read this book. The entire time I was reading, I had a strong sense of Déjà vu. This book reminded me of another book I had read where one mother's son dies and another's survives the car going into the water and one mom having a 'relationship' with a teen.
I normally enjoy Lucinda Berry books but this one fell flat as a pancake for me. I am normally invested in her characters and their plight. I like the insight she provides in her books. But this one just didn't work for me. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please seek out their reviews and decide if this is the book for you.
#OfftheDeepEnd #NetGalley
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Former therapist Jules Hart crashes her car in an icy lake. She reaches out to save her son but instead saves her son's friend. Reeling from her son's death, Jules has a decline in her mental state. She is not acting like herself and is engaging in unhealthy and inappropriate behaviors.
Isaac Greer is the young man that Jules saved from the icy crash. Isaac goes missing and Jules finds herself at the heart of the investigation. Jules states she did not take Isaac. Where is he?
Needless to say, I was not giggling while I read this book. The entire time I was reading, I had a strong sense of Déjà vu. This book reminded me of another book I had read where one mother's son dies and another's survives the car going into the water and one mom having a 'relationship' with a teen.
I normally enjoy Lucinda Berry books but this one fell flat as a pancake for me. I am normally invested in her characters and their plight. I like the insight she provides in her books. But this one just didn't work for me. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please seek out their reviews and decide if this is the book for you.
#OfftheDeepEnd #NetGalley
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 25, 2022
Lucinda Berry, you did it again. Another heart-thumping novel that blew me away.
Jules life shatters when she crashes her car into a lake and her son dies. There is one survivor, another boy called Isaac. Jules has nothing to live for, until Isaac starts visiting her in the hospital. But then Isaac disappears and his family are convinced it’s all Jules fault.
In the beginning I found Jules to be a character I didn’t believe in. But, when I read on, I suddenly understood her strange behavior towards her psychiatrist and was gobsmacked by how brilliant the author was in first making me think a certain way about her, and then changing my perception of her. I was also annoyed by Isaac’s mother in the beginning, but even her behavior made sense when I learnt more about her.
The plot was original and interesting. I loved how you needed to know what happened next, at the same time as you didn’t want the book to end. The twists at the end were brilliant, and I liked that Berry wrote about the effects of bullying and how grief can wreck your life. She’s a master at describing characters inner lives succinctly. She shows her knowledge when she manages to get inside the head of people with mental health issues.
I also wanted to add that the plot was well thought-through, and the ending was surprising for sure! The parts where Jules talked with her psychologist were also excellent.
Five solid stars from me!
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and netgally for the arc!
Jules life shatters when she crashes her car into a lake and her son dies. There is one survivor, another boy called Isaac. Jules has nothing to live for, until Isaac starts visiting her in the hospital. But then Isaac disappears and his family are convinced it’s all Jules fault.
In the beginning I found Jules to be a character I didn’t believe in. But, when I read on, I suddenly understood her strange behavior towards her psychiatrist and was gobsmacked by how brilliant the author was in first making me think a certain way about her, and then changing my perception of her. I was also annoyed by Isaac’s mother in the beginning, but even her behavior made sense when I learnt more about her.
The plot was original and interesting. I loved how you needed to know what happened next, at the same time as you didn’t want the book to end. The twists at the end were brilliant, and I liked that Berry wrote about the effects of bullying and how grief can wreck your life. She’s a master at describing characters inner lives succinctly. She shows her knowledge when she manages to get inside the head of people with mental health issues.
I also wanted to add that the plot was well thought-through, and the ending was surprising for sure! The parts where Jules talked with her psychologist were also excellent.
Five solid stars from me!
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and netgally for the arc!
December 7, 2022
This was a real slow burn for me. I kept picking it up and dropping it shortly after as is was boring and not a thriller at all. But as my OCD predicts I finally finished it and found the last few chapters way better than the first lot. I think if the major points that come across in the last few chapters were brought forward a bit it would have been way better. This story lacks actual sense and direction. It almost feel's like the author was trying to pull off a multiple plot line saga, which did not work at all.
I'm so disappointed as Lucinda is one of my favorite authors.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read review this ARC.
I'm so disappointed as Lucinda is one of my favorite authors.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read review this ARC.
July 4, 2022
This book started out well and then took a nose dive. It started dragging and at one point I had to check if I was reading the same book because the story seemed to go in a different direction. The characters were annoying and by the end I didn’t care what happened to Isaac.
Thank you to Netgalley And and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley And and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
April 13, 2023
I fell prey instantly to
ms. berry's paranoid
vibes, and then down
a rabbit hole of dark
parental angst. ♡
ms. berry's paranoid
vibes, and then down
a rabbit hole of dark
parental angst. ♡
August 16, 2025
boy moms gotta go.
June 27, 2022
My Rating System: 1⭐️ ticked no boxes COMPLETE FAIL!!!
Jules Hart by her own admission has had a dreamy life one without tragedy and loss, that is until the night she loses control of her car and it plunges into the icy depths of the lake. In the car with her is her only child, 15 year old Gabe and the neighbours 15 year old son Issac.
Jules only manages to save one child… not her son. Wracked with self loathing and guilt Jules indeed goes Off the Deep End and her mental state deteriorates into a violent and unstable mess.
Ten months later Isaac disappears and Jules is at the heart of the investigation but did she have anything to do with his kidnapping? Jules has a secret but is adamant she is not the person they are looking for. Who has Isaac? And what dangerous secret is Jules hiding?
WOW - let me tell you I was pretty excited that my Goodreads buddy GirlWithThePinkSkiMask alerted me to this latest book from Lucinda Berry. At that stage I did not know what I was in for… let me set the record straight after reading 4 or 5 of LB’s other books and loving Appetite for Innocence and Phantom Limb to a 5⭐️star level - I was ready for this. 🤗
What I was not ready for was a limp, lifeless, clueless story that had promise and could have really been something but basically wilted like a dead rose from the $2 shop 🥀
Up to the 52% mark this was an average read - I can get behind a slow burn so I was like alright wait for it… I mean Jules really went Off the Deep End so stuff was happening, it was hanging in there… but 53% came and everything changed from dull to crazy crap on a cracker!!! 💩
The story is told from alternating POV’s of Amber Greer (Isaac’s mum) and Jules (Gabe’s mum). This style is great love it… not this book. My good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask has pointed out (and I agree) that these are the WRONG POVs for this novel - we should have at least heard from Isaac I mean at least once. Amber is a annoying and childish and boring - whining about Jules how she did this and she did that. 😤
Jules started out average and descended into madness - you might say but Karly, Jules is in a mental institution and she is indeed mental. Well I am here to tell you that this character is written in a way you wished she died in the lake instead of Gabe. 😵
I am really unsure what the author was going for when she wrote Jules but what we got was a childlike idiot who couldn’t seem to make up her mind what kind of diagnosis she had... I mean at one point she was homeless and being ‘inappropriate’ with herself in a park… PLEASE unnecessary!! 🤢
Kind of SPOILERS - DON’T READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK!!
One of my biggest gripes about this book was the fact that it couldn’t pick a topic.
We have…
- kid dies in lake
- mum goes bonkers
- kid who survives is a loner with survivors guilt (with more going on that is only revealed at the 80% mark that basically does a 180 on the whole story and not in a good way)
- kid kidnapped by a rogue serial killer
- rogue serial killer storyline not explored properly
- lots of focus on the sister of kid who goes missing and the fact that she sleeps in her parents bed but… not really that relevant
- crazy lady flirts with wildly inappropriate psychiatrist
- wildly inappropriate psychiatrist that holds the patients hands when she is upset… I’m sorry pretty sure thats blurring some lines
- husband having an affair - of course
- grooming of a teenager for a really FN weird relationship that basically makes no sense
- Lots and lots of complaining and no action
The list goes on and on and on and on…. You get it!!! 🤦♀️
I mean at this point she may as well have thrown in a drug cartel and a prostitution ring and it would have had the actual kitchen sink!! 🥴
SPOILERS OVER…
The ending is literal garbage - it wasn’t the focus of the whole book there was no lead in - no mention of what was to come… I get it it’s a twist but you don’t tell a story about 89 other things then throw in a WILD AF twist that has nothing to do with the rest of the plot thats just frustrating. NAH… sorry but this book pissed me right off and wasted my time. 🤬
I have nothing good to say - the writing wasn’t even worth the ride… I don’t know what is happening but if Lucinda Berry could please just go back to writing like she did in her 5 star books that would be great. I can’t say for sure if I am 100% done with this author but I will not be rushing out for the next one thats for sure. 😒
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley and the Author for an advanced copy in exchange for my VERY honest opinion.
Jules Hart by her own admission has had a dreamy life one without tragedy and loss, that is until the night she loses control of her car and it plunges into the icy depths of the lake. In the car with her is her only child, 15 year old Gabe and the neighbours 15 year old son Issac.
Jules only manages to save one child… not her son. Wracked with self loathing and guilt Jules indeed goes Off the Deep End and her mental state deteriorates into a violent and unstable mess.
Ten months later Isaac disappears and Jules is at the heart of the investigation but did she have anything to do with his kidnapping? Jules has a secret but is adamant she is not the person they are looking for. Who has Isaac? And what dangerous secret is Jules hiding?
WOW - let me tell you I was pretty excited that my Goodreads buddy GirlWithThePinkSkiMask alerted me to this latest book from Lucinda Berry. At that stage I did not know what I was in for… let me set the record straight after reading 4 or 5 of LB’s other books and loving Appetite for Innocence and Phantom Limb to a 5⭐️star level - I was ready for this. 🤗
What I was not ready for was a limp, lifeless, clueless story that had promise and could have really been something but basically wilted like a dead rose from the $2 shop 🥀
Up to the 52% mark this was an average read - I can get behind a slow burn so I was like alright wait for it… I mean Jules really went Off the Deep End so stuff was happening, it was hanging in there… but 53% came and everything changed from dull to crazy crap on a cracker!!! 💩
The story is told from alternating POV’s of Amber Greer (Isaac’s mum) and Jules (Gabe’s mum). This style is great love it… not this book. My good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask has pointed out (and I agree) that these are the WRONG POVs for this novel - we should have at least heard from Isaac I mean at least once. Amber is a annoying and childish and boring - whining about Jules how she did this and she did that. 😤
Jules started out average and descended into madness - you might say but Karly, Jules is in a mental institution and she is indeed mental. Well I am here to tell you that this character is written in a way you wished she died in the lake instead of Gabe. 😵
I am really unsure what the author was going for when she wrote Jules but what we got was a childlike idiot who couldn’t seem to make up her mind what kind of diagnosis she had... I mean at one point she was homeless and being ‘inappropriate’ with herself in a park… PLEASE unnecessary!! 🤢
Kind of SPOILERS - DON’T READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK!!
One of my biggest gripes about this book was the fact that it couldn’t pick a topic.
We have…
- kid dies in lake
- mum goes bonkers
- kid who survives is a loner with survivors guilt (with more going on that is only revealed at the 80% mark that basically does a 180 on the whole story and not in a good way)
- kid kidnapped by a rogue serial killer
- rogue serial killer storyline not explored properly
- lots of focus on the sister of kid who goes missing and the fact that she sleeps in her parents bed but… not really that relevant
- crazy lady flirts with wildly inappropriate psychiatrist
- wildly inappropriate psychiatrist that holds the patients hands when she is upset… I’m sorry pretty sure thats blurring some lines
- husband having an affair - of course
- grooming of a teenager for a really FN weird relationship that basically makes no sense
- Lots and lots of complaining and no action
The list goes on and on and on and on…. You get it!!! 🤦♀️
I mean at this point she may as well have thrown in a drug cartel and a prostitution ring and it would have had the actual kitchen sink!! 🥴
SPOILERS OVER…
The ending is literal garbage - it wasn’t the focus of the whole book there was no lead in - no mention of what was to come… I get it it’s a twist but you don’t tell a story about 89 other things then throw in a WILD AF twist that has nothing to do with the rest of the plot thats just frustrating. NAH… sorry but this book pissed me right off and wasted my time. 🤬
I have nothing good to say - the writing wasn’t even worth the ride… I don’t know what is happening but if Lucinda Berry could please just go back to writing like she did in her 5 star books that would be great. I can’t say for sure if I am 100% done with this author but I will not be rushing out for the next one thats for sure. 😒
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley and the Author for an advanced copy in exchange for my VERY honest opinion.
August 14, 2025
This was such a binge-able read the kind of thriller you inhale in one sitting because everyone is acting suspicious and weird as hell. I didn’t trust a single character, and Lucinda Berry kept me guessing the entire time.
The story follows a woman whose teenage son tragically dies in a car accident she barely survives. In the aftermath, she becomes entangled in the search for another missing boy connected to the accident. But as the investigation unfolds, buried secrets, messy relationships, and strange behavior from everyone around her have you questioning who’s telling the truth. Every single person felt like a suspect, and when the big reveal hit, I was shook.
Buddy read with a baddie 💅 Manas
My ratings for LB books-
Keep Your Friends Close- 4 Stars
Off The Deep End- 4 Stars
When She Returned- 4 Stars
The Best Of Friends- 1 Star
The story follows a woman whose teenage son tragically dies in a car accident she barely survives. In the aftermath, she becomes entangled in the search for another missing boy connected to the accident. But as the investigation unfolds, buried secrets, messy relationships, and strange behavior from everyone around her have you questioning who’s telling the truth. Every single person felt like a suspect, and when the big reveal hit, I was shook.
Buddy read with a baddie 💅 Manas
My ratings for LB books-
Keep Your Friends Close- 4 Stars
Off The Deep End- 4 Stars
When She Returned- 4 Stars
The Best Of Friends- 1 Star
December 21, 2024
3.5⭐️
Well… that went places I didn’t see coming 😂 I like how Lucinda Berry will always make me think… and give me whiplash. This is about a woman who’s car goes off the road and instead of saving her son, she saves her sons basketball teammate by accident. That’s the beginning… it goes in many different directions from here… some interesting… some were a little too out there for me, but it’s definitely an entertaining read one way or another.
Well… that went places I didn’t see coming 😂 I like how Lucinda Berry will always make me think… and give me whiplash. This is about a woman who’s car goes off the road and instead of saving her son, she saves her sons basketball teammate by accident. That’s the beginning… it goes in many different directions from here… some interesting… some were a little too out there for me, but it’s definitely an entertaining read one way or another.
October 21, 2024
3⭐️s
Have you ever been having a great time, possibly frolicking freely in a field of wildflowers, when all of a sudden you smash your foot on an iron anvil, and you then fall to the ground in excruciating pain from three broken bones in your big toe? That’s sort of what this book felt like to me. Or at least I bet that’s what it would feel like if that ever actually happened to someone.
Why You Should Or Shouldn’t Read It
Jury’s out. I wouldn’t. The twist at the end wasn’t earned, and it felt unnecessarily and inauthentically forced for shock value.
Themes
I dunno 🤷🏻♂️. Don’t save the wrong kid if you ever crash your car into a sub-zero temperature lake.
One Thing That Will Stick With Me
I thought there would be more water
Have you ever been having a great time, possibly frolicking freely in a field of wildflowers, when all of a sudden you smash your foot on an iron anvil, and you then fall to the ground in excruciating pain from three broken bones in your big toe? That’s sort of what this book felt like to me. Or at least I bet that’s what it would feel like if that ever actually happened to someone.
Why You Should Or Shouldn’t Read It
Jury’s out. I wouldn’t. The twist at the end wasn’t earned, and it felt unnecessarily and inauthentically forced for shock value.
Themes
I dunno 🤷🏻♂️. Don’t save the wrong kid if you ever crash your car into a sub-zero temperature lake.
One Thing That Will Stick With Me
I thought there would be more water
August 20, 2023
I just wish all of the characters had immediately died in the car accident so that this book wouldn’t exist
January 3, 2023
I read my first Lucinda Berry book, The Perfect Child, two years ago and really loved it. Since then I have read a few more of her books and found them all to just be okay. Unfortunately, I feel the same way about her newest one. The story was just okay and I didn't really like any of the characters.
November 21, 2022
I’ve been struggling to review this one!
First of all, considering the author’s background, I can see the direction she took with this one. She explored how the terrible accident and the unspeakable loss affected both mothers. IF she had stopped there, this would have been a novel with impact. For me, though, I got disinterested when the narrative suddenly took a loop through a bunch of sidestreets and a quick grab and insert of news headline incidents before getting back on track. Too many layers.
Secondly, I couldn’t connect to either mom, Jules or Amber. I had empathy for them, but their reactions/behaviour to the traumatic experience didn’t ring authentic to me. At times it was more of a reaction that one would expect from my students, teenagers.
Finally, the repetitive suspension of disbelief did me in! Too many unrealistic plot twists.
The premise was solid and enticing. The pace was perfect. The plot gripped me instantly and I was on the edge of my seat with an emotional investment in the horror of what had happened.
Please, don’t let my opinion dissuade you from reading this. There are plenty of glowing reviews. Be advised: there are many trigger warnings
I was gifted this book by Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
First of all, considering the author’s background, I can see the direction she took with this one. She explored how the terrible accident and the unspeakable loss affected both mothers. IF she had stopped there, this would have been a novel with impact. For me, though, I got disinterested when the narrative suddenly took a loop through a bunch of sidestreets and a quick grab and insert of news headline incidents before getting back on track. Too many layers.
Secondly, I couldn’t connect to either mom, Jules or Amber. I had empathy for them, but their reactions/behaviour to the traumatic experience didn’t ring authentic to me. At times it was more of a reaction that one would expect from my students, teenagers.
Finally, the repetitive suspension of disbelief did me in! Too many unrealistic plot twists.
The premise was solid and enticing. The pace was perfect. The plot gripped me instantly and I was on the edge of my seat with an emotional investment in the horror of what had happened.
Please, don’t let my opinion dissuade you from reading this. There are plenty of glowing reviews. Be advised: there are many trigger warnings
I was gifted this book by Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
June 16, 2025
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Amy Landon
Arni Arndt
Audio 4 stars**
Narrators
Amy Landon
Arni Arndt
December 1, 2024
3.5 to 4 stars
I was reeled in during several parts of this. As always Lucinda Berry truly knows how to keep me on the edge of my seat. Some bits were a bit of a disconnect for me and a bit expected. But overall, it was enjoyable, and I loved the twists!
I was reeled in during several parts of this. As always Lucinda Berry truly knows how to keep me on the edge of my seat. Some bits were a bit of a disconnect for me and a bit expected. But overall, it was enjoyable, and I loved the twists!
March 25, 2025
This is my least favorite book from L.B.
Two main characters were extremely unlikeable and honestly quite annoying.
In the beginning I was intrigued by the plot but quickly it became something else and towards the end it became something completely different. Don’t get me wrong, if it worked, I would have loved it however it didn’t work for me in this case. The story was all over the place and it felt like as if three stories were just stuck together like a Frankenstein 😉
The ending was really icky! It really grossed me out…
I hope you will enjoy it more than me 🍷
Two main characters were extremely unlikeable and honestly quite annoying.
In the beginning I was intrigued by the plot but quickly it became something else and towards the end it became something completely different. Don’t get me wrong, if it worked, I would have loved it however it didn’t work for me in this case. The story was all over the place and it felt like as if three stories were just stuck together like a Frankenstein 😉
The ending was really icky! It really grossed me out…
I hope you will enjoy it more than me 🍷
February 27, 2023
This was middle of the road for me.
I love Lucinda Berry's perspective as a psychologist that she brings to every one of her novels, and that was my favorite part about this one as well. The idea of a therapist being psychoanalyzed is perfection. But I wanted more of the novel to back up the twist. It could have "gone there" like Saving Noah and The Perfect Child did, but for me it lacked focus and that visceral forbidden feeling that I come to look for from this author.
The pacing, however, was great, the multiple perspectives kept it moving along. I think Lucinda does best when she writes from the perspective of children. I would have like a POV from Isaac in this one, even though he wasn't a child, it could have added my connection to the story.
I love Lucinda Berry's perspective as a psychologist that she brings to every one of her novels, and that was my favorite part about this one as well. The idea of a therapist being psychoanalyzed is perfection. But I wanted more of the novel to back up the twist. It could have "gone there" like Saving Noah and The Perfect Child did, but for me it lacked focus and that visceral forbidden feeling that I come to look for from this author.
The pacing, however, was great, the multiple perspectives kept it moving along. I think Lucinda does best when she writes from the perspective of children. I would have like a POV from Isaac in this one, even though he wasn't a child, it could have added my connection to the story.
July 10, 2022
This book gripped me right from the opening chapters. Former therapist turned stay-at-home mom Jules lives a nightmare when she swerves her car to avoid a deer and ends up in an icy lake. Confused and disoriented, she latches on to a hand and rises to the surface. She realizes with her horror that she's saved the wrong boy. Her son is still submerged, while her neighbor's son is safe.
As expected, Jules suffers a violent break from reality and is institutionalized. The boy she saved, Isaac, is struggling with a severe case of survivor's guilt. He feels like he should have died that day and turns simultaneously violent and reclusive.
Then things got a little convoluted. Isaac disappears, and he is suspected to be a victim of a serial killer who is stalking the Midwest, snatching young teens who are out walking their dogs. Isaac disappeared while walking the dog, so his fate seems sealed. His mother is sure Jules had something to do with his disappearance as she became so infatuated with Isaac, a restraining order had to be put in place.
In the last 20-25% of the book, so many things were thrown in, I just couldn't wade through them all. If the initial storyline had stayed as tightly focused as the beginning, this would have been a five star read, but the amount of disbelief I had to suspend at the end was too much. It was definitely a wild ride, and I'll continue to read her books because I like her story ideas.
As expected, Jules suffers a violent break from reality and is institutionalized. The boy she saved, Isaac, is struggling with a severe case of survivor's guilt. He feels like he should have died that day and turns simultaneously violent and reclusive.
Then things got a little convoluted. Isaac disappears, and he is suspected to be a victim of a serial killer who is stalking the Midwest, snatching young teens who are out walking their dogs. Isaac disappeared while walking the dog, so his fate seems sealed. His mother is sure Jules had something to do with his disappearance as she became so infatuated with Isaac, a restraining order had to be put in place.
In the last 20-25% of the book, so many things were thrown in, I just couldn't wade through them all. If the initial storyline had stayed as tightly focused as the beginning, this would have been a five star read, but the amount of disbelief I had to suspend at the end was too much. It was definitely a wild ride, and I'll continue to read her books because I like her story ideas.
May 10, 2023
2.5 stars
Twisty but absurdly disjointed, I was instantly hooked by the setup of Off the Deep End, but as the plot thickened, there was a clear lack of thematic cohesiveness, and the reveals were more for shock values rather than logic. I don't think I've experienced this kind of narrative whiplash since Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes, but at least in that story there was still the threads of infidelity and perverted jealousy weaved underneath, whereas Off the Deep End started out as an exploration on trauma bonding, then a potential serial killer got involved, in the end its plot pivoted even further to the influence of media on teenage violence... Instead of events building on top of one another, the novel felt like it's constantly restarting on a new idea, and disregard everything prior as useless misdirection.
I was in a weird funk reading-wise in the past weeks, so I have to at least give props to Off the Deep End's easy readability for successfully getting me out of it, but it's definitely nowhere close to a thriller I would recommend.
Twisty but absurdly disjointed, I was instantly hooked by the setup of Off the Deep End, but as the plot thickened, there was a clear lack of thematic cohesiveness, and the reveals were more for shock values rather than logic. I don't think I've experienced this kind of narrative whiplash since Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes, but at least in that story there was still the threads of infidelity and perverted jealousy weaved underneath, whereas Off the Deep End started out as an exploration on trauma bonding, then a potential serial killer got involved, in the end its plot pivoted even further to the influence of media on teenage violence... Instead of events building on top of one another, the novel felt like it's constantly restarting on a new idea, and disregard everything prior as useless misdirection.
I was in a weird funk reading-wise in the past weeks, so I have to at least give props to Off the Deep End's easy readability for successfully getting me out of it, but it's definitely nowhere close to a thriller I would recommend.
December 10, 2022
Berry writes such interesting and bingeable psychological stories, and this was no exception for me. I enjoy the way she writes such insufferable narrators (it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea), and this one deals with a missing teen. I had a hunch where the ‘reveal’ was heading but she gives so many surprises along the way. The only misstep for me was that the actual conclusion almost came out of left field - we don’t really start understanding until the final 20% of the book and then something happens suddenly to culminate the story, and i feel like it would’ve benefited from a bit more exploration, and maybe even getting an additional narrator in Isaac.
November 30, 2022
Off The Deep End by Lucinda Berry - Honest Book Review
I have enjoyed many books by the talented author Lucinda Berry, but
Off The Deep End was not one of my favorites. I was drawn in by the premise of the story, but soon had difficulty connecting with the characters.
Synopsis:
As a result of losing her son Gabe in a tragic accident, Jules falls into an uncontrollable mental state. Ten months after Jules rescued Gabe's friend Isaac Greer from their car crash, he vanished without a trace. She still struggles to cope with the fact that she rescued another woman's child and not Gabe.
Isaac is missing. Was he kidnapped? Police question Jules about her involvement...
Warning: The following contains spoilers....
Pros: I have empathy for the loss of Gabe and the trauma of the wreck. The ending was unique and unexpected.
Cons: Isaac, 15-years-old is missing and his parents are constantly fighting. Why are they not organizing search parties, putting up missing posters, or searching for their son? Is there a reason why the police didn't take his computer? Hard drive history can never be completely erased. Experts can retrieve the information.
I appreciate the author's diligence, work and dedication. We all have different tastes in books. Please do not let my opinion of it stop you from reading it.
Off the Deep End is available on January 10th.
(2.5 bumped up to 3⭐⭐⭐)
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
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I have enjoyed many books by the talented author Lucinda Berry, but
Off The Deep End was not one of my favorites. I was drawn in by the premise of the story, but soon had difficulty connecting with the characters.
Synopsis:
As a result of losing her son Gabe in a tragic accident, Jules falls into an uncontrollable mental state. Ten months after Jules rescued Gabe's friend Isaac Greer from their car crash, he vanished without a trace. She still struggles to cope with the fact that she rescued another woman's child and not Gabe.
Isaac is missing. Was he kidnapped? Police question Jules about her involvement...
Warning: The following contains spoilers....
Pros: I have empathy for the loss of Gabe and the trauma of the wreck. The ending was unique and unexpected.
Cons: Isaac, 15-years-old is missing and his parents are constantly fighting. Why are they not organizing search parties, putting up missing posters, or searching for their son? Is there a reason why the police didn't take his computer? Hard drive history can never be completely erased. Experts can retrieve the information.
I appreciate the author's diligence, work and dedication. We all have different tastes in books. Please do not let my opinion of it stop you from reading it.
Off the Deep End is available on January 10th.
(2.5 bumped up to 3⭐⭐⭐)
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#OffTheDeepEnd #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
If you've read any of Lucinda Berry's previous work it's no secret that she refuses to skirt around the darker issues in life and just nose dives straight into them, and Off The Deep End was no different. It was devastating, heart-wrenching and suspenseful in simultaneously the best and worst ways.
While I agree with some other early reviews that both of the main character POV's that we read from were both relatively insufferable, I fully believe that was part of the point. Not all characters in fiction are going to be likeable and even more so in fiction that explores such realistic life tragedies, especially when written by someone who has intense clinical experience helping others to navigate this trauma. I felt the dual POV's that were relatively opposing to each other really kept the intensity up throughout the story and you never fully knew who to trust. This book was very unique in it's plot and the way it dives head first into some extremely dark topics - so I recommend looking up trigger warnings before going into it if need be.
Lucinda Berry is by far the queen of extremely dark and twisty thrillers and I can not wait to get my hands on more of her work. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda for my early review copy!
If you've read any of Lucinda Berry's previous work it's no secret that she refuses to skirt around the darker issues in life and just nose dives straight into them, and Off The Deep End was no different. It was devastating, heart-wrenching and suspenseful in simultaneously the best and worst ways.
While I agree with some other early reviews that both of the main character POV's that we read from were both relatively insufferable, I fully believe that was part of the point. Not all characters in fiction are going to be likeable and even more so in fiction that explores such realistic life tragedies, especially when written by someone who has intense clinical experience helping others to navigate this trauma. I felt the dual POV's that were relatively opposing to each other really kept the intensity up throughout the story and you never fully knew who to trust. This book was very unique in it's plot and the way it dives head first into some extremely dark topics - so I recommend looking up trigger warnings before going into it if need be.
Lucinda Berry is by far the queen of extremely dark and twisty thrillers and I can not wait to get my hands on more of her work. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda for my early review copy!
January 28, 2023
This book was wild from start to finish and I loved every page of it. I couldn’t put it down and had to devour it in almost one sitting. I loved the duel POVs between Amber and Jules and seeing both sides of the story. I was second guessing everyone and wondering what happened to Issac end the end. This book definitely touched on some tough subjects and Berry does a excellent job at getting right to the nitty gritty of it all. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and recommend it for a quick thriller. This definitely won’t be my last book by Berry!
January 10, 2023
This was such an addictive and bingeable thriller that I ended up reading in one sitting!
It’s been a long time since I’ve flew through a book like this and I have to credit that to Berry’s writing style! Her stories are so intriguing and engrossing and the short chapters are executed perfectly to continually drive the suspense. This one was also under 300 pages which certainly helped but it was all that was needed as well!
Like in her last book, I think her past as a psychologist who focused on childhood trauma definitely helped with her research and diligence.
The duel POVs were both completely unbearable as woman, they both drove me absolutely bonkers but I was invested and intrigued, and that was the point!
While I don’t think I really loved how everything ended up playing out, it was still a solid read and I can’t wait to explore more from her!
It’s been a long time since I’ve flew through a book like this and I have to credit that to Berry’s writing style! Her stories are so intriguing and engrossing and the short chapters are executed perfectly to continually drive the suspense. This one was also under 300 pages which certainly helped but it was all that was needed as well!
Like in her last book, I think her past as a psychologist who focused on childhood trauma definitely helped with her research and diligence.
The duel POVs were both completely unbearable as woman, they both drove me absolutely bonkers but I was invested and intrigued, and that was the point!
While I don’t think I really loved how everything ended up playing out, it was still a solid read and I can’t wait to explore more from her!
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