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astoriareader's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
SYNOPSIS
- On a summer day in Alabama, the someone has murdered the mayor’s wife.
- Unfortunately, the Southerners are starting to blame Mason, an autistic teen & son of local socialite Genevieve Hill, who was found standing next to the body.
- The police recruit Casey Walker as a consultant on the case. Casey is a therapist that specializes in working with autistic children, and she also has a 9 year old autistic kid of her own.
- Casey begins to grow suspicious that Genevieve is doing more than just protecting her son.
MY THOUGHTS
- Lucinda is one of my favorites! I’ve read 8 total by her so far (The Perfect Child, Saving Noah, The Best of Friends, When She Returned, Phantom Limb, Keep Your Friends Close, If You Tell A Lie, & Under Her Care).
- Although I am not autistic myself & I won’t pretend to speak for the autistic community, I wanted to give a trigger warning here. It's my understanding that Lucinda Berry is a licensed clinical psychologist, and I'm surprised she didn't reach out to get some perspectives from autistic individuals before publishing. In the book, there's a section where a character lectures a police officer, saying that he shouldn't use the phrase "autistic kids," but should say "kids with autism" instead. This theme is carried on throughout the book. While some autistic folks may prefer person-first language, it’s my understanding that most person identity-first language. I was disappointed, and since this is such a delicate topic, I think it could be handled better. If this is trigger, I would avoid this book.
- Along same lines, there are some other controversial & potentially triggering topics relating to ASD (e.g., ABA, masking, eye contact).
- Berry’s writing is great, but didn’t enjoy this as much as her others. I usually rate her 4-5. Don’t think I have ever rated her books below a 4. Felt like there were too many loose ends.
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️3 stars. 8th Lucinda Berry book I’ve read & least favorite. Check for triggers, particularly re: ASD.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug abuse and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
brookey8888's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This one was good. I didn’t see a lot of it shocking, but the ending kind of was. This was a disturbing read, but an interesting look at the characters. I don’t know if me and this author vibe the greatest because this is the second book of hers I’ve read and I didn’t like either endings. They just feel so unfinished and rushed. I did enjoy this one a lot more than the other of hers I’ve read. One of the characters in this wasn’t unbearable so I was able to enjoy it, and the other was crazy so it was interesting to read that POV.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
shyleek's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
So much suspense packed in this book! I wasn't sure what to expect going in but the mystery kept me reading.
Well researched and sensitive to the community of people who have autism.
The ending literally blew my mind.
Well researched and sensitive to the community of people who have autism.
The ending literally blew my mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse
brittonmc1221's review
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder
jackiesspookyshelf's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Murder
kamin8882's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Lucinda Berry does it again!! This is my second book by Lucinda and I am officially hooked !! This book had me hooked from the first page, and didn't stop!!!
When the mayor of a town in Alabama is found murdered under a bridge, Mason Hill, the autistic son of former Miss USA, is found standing over her body. Of course the people are quick to accuse him, but Genevieve will do anything to defend and protect her son. The town detective calls in autism expert, Casey Walker to help consult on the case. While she tries to keep an open mind, she quickly discovers that Genevieve is doing a little more than protecting her son. The more she digs, the more shocking the discoveries.
This book was so good !! I love how Lucinda Berry takes her expertise, and turns her real life experiences into twisty thrillers. She has a way of making you hate the villains so much that it works so perfect. The motherhood element in this book is very strong, and shows how different mothers can be. The characters were great, the pacing was quick and the twist was crazy. I loved it and can't wait to read more !!!
Thank you Thomas & Mercer, Netgalley, and Lucinda Berry for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When the mayor of a town in Alabama is found murdered under a bridge, Mason Hill, the autistic son of former Miss USA, is found standing over her body. Of course the people are quick to accuse him, but Genevieve will do anything to defend and protect her son. The town detective calls in autism expert, Casey Walker to help consult on the case. While she tries to keep an open mind, she quickly discovers that Genevieve is doing a little more than protecting her son. The more she digs, the more shocking the discoveries.
This book was so good !! I love how Lucinda Berry takes her expertise, and turns her real life experiences into twisty thrillers. She has a way of making you hate the villains so much that it works so perfect. The motherhood element in this book is very strong, and shows how different mothers can be. The characters were great, the pacing was quick and the twist was crazy. I loved it and can't wait to read more !!!
Thank you Thomas & Mercer, Netgalley, and Lucinda Berry for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
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