Disappointing. This had potential, but the excessive drama and illogical behaviours just veered into boring-town.

The book actually got worse towards the end, and the ending simply came to the conclusion that was being pointed at for the entire book, nothing new, nothing 'wow'. Also, the trauma wasn't gobsmacking. I kept waiting for the situation to descend into the real trauma backstory, but that impact never came. The story focused on the two sisters POV narratives, past and present events. This unfortunately blocked out much of the surrounding characters development, and I was disappointed that there wasn't enough exploration of Veronica or Mrs. Wheeler. The book had moments at the beginning where there was suspense and suspicion around these aforementioned characters, but they just became ordinary spectators for a story that went nowhere..

The story mainly centres around Krystal trying to work out what happened with her foster sister Nichole, after she is reported to have burned her house down, with her husband inside. Nichole spends most of the book in psychiatric care, completely deranged and out of character, while Krystal uses her knowledge of family law to try and seek the truth and protect her sister. Just like she always did when they were children.

The character development is severely lacking, and the main protagonists voice, Krystal, just feels generic and puppeted. Everybody's responses just seemed mismatched in proper use of intensity, ill-timed, or feigned. Like how Krystal's head "spins" every time she's told some slightly perturbing news. And the dialogue and internal monologuing is so stretched out that I wish the book space could have rented more pages to building observational suspense or character development. Instead of spelling everything out in questions or obvious statements, or wasting space on superfluous details, readers need space for the imagination. For a psychologist author, the character behaviours have no emotional impact on the reader. They seem orchestrated or vacuous in depth. Also, there's an event towards the end where it's super coincidental and misplaced. The convenience of plot twists are just so mediocre. Then there's the notion that suspects would be under 24-7 watch if suspected of murder - so that confrontation scene makes no sense (nor the behaviours/motives/dialogue here). The only redeemable thing was Krystal's learning curve and a semi-interesting childhood story.

I was so bored. I do not recommend. I had enjoyed the authors' other book "When She Returned" but this one fell flat.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author and it did not disappoint. Best friends, a house fire resulting in attempted murder and secrets of the past, what more could you want?

I loved the pace of this book. I really enjoy a book that starts quickly. The only criticism I have is I feel like it ended too quickly. I would have liked another 3-5 chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Secret of Us is exactly what I look for in a thriller.

The Secret of Us follows two sisters who had a rough childhood. They spent their entire adulthood trying to escape their past but what happens when their past comes to haunt them?

Throughout the entire book there was constant action, I was always sitting at the edge of my seat to find out what was going to happen next. And I loved the way the book end. Although I wonder what happens to Nichole and Krystal.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read The Secrets of Us for an honest review.

The latest Lucinda Berry, ‘The Secrets Of Us’ is a page turner. Berry, with her own domain knowledge as a clinical psychologist , goes deep into the psyche of her characters to put together this psychological thriller.

Foster sisters, Krystal and Nichole, have always been there for each other. So when Nichole is admitted to the psychiatric ward of a hospital on the charge of attempted murder of her husband, Krystal a successful lawyer, drops all work to be at her sister’s side and defend her.

The book highlights the role traumatic pasts play in determining present lives. The twists and turns a mind can take when harbouring secrets, lies, and guilt is the basis of this intriguing read.

The book works in two voices, that of Krystal in the present and of Nichole in the past. The reader gets to know about their childhood, reason for being in foster care, treatment by the foster family, bullying incidents in school and finally, the running away of the girls to build a life for themselves.

Why is Nichole getting hallucinations? Why is she hearing voices? Does Krystal have a role in this behaviour? Why did Nichole attempt to burn down her house and why is she is calling her beloved husband, an imposter?

The book throws up many questions some of which are dealt with in detail; some in a rushed manner. After a great buildup, the end comes a bit too quickly though the tautness remains intact. A pacy read, with reveals you may not be able to guess.

Thank you Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for the e-arc of this book, published in June this year. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was my first Lucinda Berry novel, and will not be my last! This was a fast paced thriller! It was dark, traumatic, and suspenseful. I loved every word. This story just flowed flawlessly. I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. I highly recommend this book if you like suspense/thrillers.

THE SECRETS OF US is a decent psychological thriller about two friends, close as sisters, raised in foster care, who are involved in a tragic event that reverberates through their lives for year. Good taut plot that keeps you guessing. til the end. the ending made me think that there might be a sequel.

Thanks NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda Berry for an ARC to review.
I read The Best of Friends and absolutely loved it, it stayed with me for a long while after reading it.
And again she didn't disappoint. When Nichole gets committed to a psychiatrist hospital after burning down her house and trying to kill her husband in the process, her sister Krystal stops at nothing to support her and keep her safe.
A real page turner that will keep you guessing till the veey end.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Krystal and Nichole are sisters who did not have a great childhood. Krystal needs to figure what happened the night of the fire at Nichole and her husband Aiden's house. Thus book had many twists and turns.

The Secrets of Us tell the past and present secrets of two foster sisters. There is an usual touch of supernatural issues, or maybe this is simply due to the trauma of their childhood. One grows up to be a lawyer; the other a married teacher. I would have liked to know more about their college years.
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for allowing me to read this.

East and entertaining, this mystery/thriller keeps you guessing. The friendship between Krystal and Nichole was built up and explained, so it made it more believable and true. There were some inconsistencies, but the book is so easy to read and absorbing that these minor flaws pass!

Ok Lucinda Berry is my literal favorite author and this book didn’t disappoint! I love the way she writes, I love the way she makes the characters come alive, I love the way she makes your jaw drop with her plot twists. The ending of this one wasn’t my favorite but I still devoured this book in 12 hours. Can’t wait for her next one!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of The Secrets of Us. Unfortunately, this was not my favorite book by Lucinda Berry. I enjoyed the Perfect Child and The Best of Friends. But this one was just a little too ridiculous for my taste. I’m not a fan of the unreliable narrator and using it to turn the plot upside down.

The Secrets of Us starts with a fire and ends with a bomb! Must read for any psychological thriller lover! Krysal a day Nichole are foster sisters who over come their past in a fast paced thriller

I have been looking forward to reading The Secrets of Us by Lucinda Berry for months, and it did not disappoint!

Nichole and Krystal are foster sisters. Both had tough beginnings in life, but they both constructed what appear to be successful, happy lives. Nichole is married to an architect who loves her, and Krystal is a successful lawyer. They have stayed close well into adulthood, but when Nichole sets fire to her house in an attempt to kill her husband who she believes is an imposter of her real husband, she is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Krystal immediately begins an investigation to figure out what happened to her sister, revealing something horrible that happened in the sisters' pasts. The story unfolds brilliantly and is an addicting read!

This book had me hooked on page 1!! I love that! Gripping plot line until the end. The ending made me sad.

Krystal and Nichole are as close as sisters could be. Raised in foster care, they learned to rely on each other throughout their difficult childhood. Now Krystal is a respected lawyer and Nichole is happily married...at least Krystal thought so. But now her sister is locked in a psychiatric ward, hearing voices, and accused of trying to kill her husband. Krystal needs to find out the truth to save Nichole from succumbing to her demons forever. but it means dealing with their past...and what they did there.

As excited as I was by the premise, this novel fell a little flat for me. It's well written, but the last third, with all the twists and revelations, stretched my credulity a bit too much. It felt like a book of two halves - the first a detailed explanation of the sister's lives and their unbreakable bond, and then the second half becomes breathless and a bit ludicrous. And the ending just...ends. I enjoyed the first half very much, but the second left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

Such an intriguing story of these two woman from teenagers until the present.
Tragedy unfolds around them 'then" and it has shaped the way they live "now".

This is full of twist and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

Wow. This was not what I expected. This is my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. Secrets, sisters, a buckle in for the ride book !

Fast paced thrill ride &Totally unputdownable. I love thrillers with sisters, and this one was nicely twisted. I loved it and I really need to discuss that ENDING!! I will definitely be watching for more from this author.

A pretty good book. I liked the flashbacks and Nichole being a bit of an unreliable narrator, and her relationship with Krystal was interesting. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style and therefore it was kind of hard for me to connect to the characters. I didn't really care for any of them, or what happened to them. I also found the actual plot pretty confusing and the ending a bit weak, it wasn't the most original and then ended pretty sudden, I would've liked some more explanation there.