Perfect Child: A Thriller

This is my first book by Lucinda. It was a crazy addictive ride. I couldn't keep it down and read it in one go. I didn't sleep trying to finish the book, and the ending doesn't help still. I'll be haunted by the story for weeks.

Dont normally write reviews, but this was a good book, very good book. Read it in one go, wished it had a better ending though.

This book got me out of my reading slump! You go through a rollercoaster of emotions with this one. Unputdownable!

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** This book was deeply disturbing and painfully thought-provoking. Right from the start, you're pulled into an emotionally complex situation that leaves you unsettled and confused—in a good way. Lucinda Berry does an excellent job portraying how manipulative behavior can quietly unravel relationships. The way Janie pits Christopher and Hannah against each other is chilling, and it builds a constant tension that kept me turning pages. What stood out the most was how the story slowly revealed the failures of the system—how children in distress are handled, how social services intervene (or don’t), and how those failures have ripple effects that destroy lives. It doesn't place the blame squarely on anyone—not Janie, not the parents—but instead emphasizes how the system failed everyone involved. But that made me ask: if the system failed, who do we hold accountable? When a child is clearly displaying signs of deep trauma and potential violence, shouldn't the priority be immediate psychological help and separation for the safety of everyone? As a reader, I was frustrated watching this play out. I understand it's different for people inside such situations, but from a third-person perspective, it was maddening that no one acted fast enough. Christopher’s character really got under my skin. I understand his bond with Janie and how that love blinded him—but he had responsibilities as both a doctor and a husband. When Hannah repeatedly said she didn’t feel safe, he should’ve done something. Instead, he stood on his moral high ground and defended Janie at Hannah’s expense. If he truly loved her, he wouldn't have let her suffer like that. This book also brought up another powerful theme: the invisibility of a mother’s pain. So often, when a new child arrives, all attention shifts to the baby—and while that’s understandable, it shouldn't come at the cost of the mother's mental health. Women aren’t just baby-making machines. We deserve to be seen, heard, and cared for after childbirth, not just during it. Postpartum mental health should be a priority. No one should have to suffer in silence like Hannah did. The Perfect Child is not an easy read, but it’s an important one. It shines a harsh light on the realities of trauma, adoption, and systemic failure. It left me feeling heartbroken, frustrated, and reflective—and that, I believe, is what good fiction should do.

I don't know may be i wanted to read more about what happened to Janie, Hannah and Christopher.. the story was very interesting with lots of twists and yet it keeps one hooked but ending is something that just happened very abrupt. Its not that there should have been a happy ending but it just felt incomplete..

My first psychotic thriller read by Lucinda Berry and man i better be in shock. Crazy and disturbing but in a good way. At some point Christopher's blinded love annoyed me a lot, and some scenes made my inside scream out of disgust. So many scenes made my face cringe, petrifying what more new kind of "sickening twist" i will come across next. . This book kept me up at night demanding to be read. Absolutely loved this book and i would love to tag this book as one of the "Hidden Jwells" of KU. . Lucinda Berry is my new favourite thriller author after Riley Sager.

This book messed me up. My skin crawled, my brain twisted, and by the end, I just sat there, staring into the void, questioning everything. Every single character was wired so weirdly—there wasn’t a single one I liked, and yet, I could not stop reading. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion—horrifying, but I had to see how it played out. I binge-read it over the weekend, completely consumed, flipping pages like my life depended on it. Told through three POVs, the story constantly kept me on edge, making me doubt every character’s intentions. It disturbed me in ways I didn’t even know were possible. So why the five stars? Because while some people read for therapy, I read books that might just land me in therapy one day. Trigger Warnings - Child abuse (physical, emotional, psychological) - Infertility & miscarriage - Animal cruelty - Gaslighting & manipulation - Domestic violence - Death & grief This book is dark and disturbing, so proceed with caution if any of these topics might be triggering for you!

Gripping. Finished it in one 3hr long flight. Revealing and unfolding the plot slowly yet ensuring it captures interest has been done masterfully

Non è poi malvagio, ma non aspettatevi un thriller. Di psicologico c'è moltissimo poiché la struttura narrativa inizia e finisce nei meandri dei disturbi sviluppati da bambini abusati ma, a parte la connotazione drammatica, non è una storia che vi farà sobbalzare. È tutto perfettamente inquadrabile nell'ambito di una tragica storia famigliare. Con un solo" inquinante" interrogativo finale: e se esistessero bambini nati "cattivi"? Abusanti prima ancora che abusati? Finale irrisoluto.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚 THE PERFECT CHILD — Lucinda Berry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ ⸻ Christopher and Hannah seem to have it all: successful careers, a happy marriage, and a comfortable life. The only thing missing is a child. When six-year-old Janie is abandoned at their hospital, Christopher immediately feels connected to her and convinces Hannah they should adopt her. But once Janie moves in, strange incidents begin piling up. Christopher sees a vulnerable little girl who needs love. Hannah sees something much more troubling. As Janie’s behavior escalates, Hannah finds herself isolated, doubted, and questioning everything she thought she knew about family, trust, and motherhood. ⸻ The Perfect Child is the kind of book that quietly gets under your skin and refuses to leave. Lucinda Berry takes a terrifying “what if?” scenario and turns it into a psychological thriller built on dread rather than shock value. The tension never lets up, and I constantly questioned whether Hannah’s fears were justified or if something else was going on. Janie is one of the most unsettling child characters I’ve read—not because she’s portrayed as evil, but because she’s damaged in ways no one wants to acknowledge. The push and pull between hope, denial, fear, and obsession makes this story incredibly compelling. This is a slow-burn thriller about manipulation, childhood trauma, family dynamics, and mounting unease. Long after I finished, I was still thinking about it. ⸻ ✅ WHAT WORKED • Hannah’s POV felt raw and believable. • Janie was chilling without feeling over-the-top. • Authentic psychological and medical details. • Steadily building tension. • Strong emotional stakes. • Thought-provoking ethical questions. ⸻ ❌ WHAT DIDN’T WORK • Christopher’s denial can be frustrating. • The middle drags slightly at times. • The ending may not work for readers who want everything neatly resolved.

A dark story about adoption and and abuse that had me hooked throughout, even though to me it wasn't really a psychological thriller. It was very well written although I didn't like Christopher's character. The ending however was a big disappointment, such a shame.

Lo acabo de descubrir y es una de mis mejores lecturas

Excellent read