This is the second book I have read by this author and I found it thoroughly enjoyable, The plot was very original and interesting, I don't think I've read anything like it before. There were some great twists and it had a surprising ending,

Quite a thought provoking book. How would you react if your child died and you saved someone else's child instead of your own.
It wasn't my favourite Lucinda Berry book but it was very intriguing.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda Berry for an ARC in return for an honest review

Fifteen year old Issac Greer goes missing one night while out walking the family dog. Could he be the next unfortunate victim of The Dog Snatcher, a serial killer in the area targeting young boys out with their dogs? Or could Isaac's disappearance be orchestrated by their unhinged neighbor, Jules Hart, who lost her own 15 year old son months earlier in a tragic car accident?

While I'd read this author before, I was not prepared for the level of dark content delivered by this book. I learned through the Author's Note that Berry is a former psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. Oh yes, I can see that. It goes on to say "She enjoys taking her readers on a journey through the dark recesses of the human psyche". I'm hear to tell you that one quite singularly and accurately depicts this book. It was very well crafted and kept me hooked from page 1. It's interesting how the story is told through the POV of each of the two moms only. Part of me REALLY wanted to hear from a few of the other characters, noteably the psychologist interviewing Jules or Isaac himself.

Couple things:
1. Please take note of a mixed bag of triggers found in this book: suicide, grooming, mass shootings, injury to minors, statutory rape, extreme mental illness, violence....this list isn't even exhaustive. If you've read Lucinda Berry before, these should be no surprise.
2. The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in Newtown, not Newton. This is more of an FYI to the publisher. I'm not one to typically point out errors in books but as a CT resident, I wanted to put that out there. I realize at the point of writing this that the book was published about a week ago, so hopefully someone else caught it while reading this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review, this was a dark and sinister one. I loved it but am gonna need something to make me laugh after that one!

I absolutely devoured this suspenseful, page-turning psychological thriller. I stumbled upon this book randomly on NetGalley Read Now and went in pretty blind but boy, was it a wild ride! It was tense, dark, creepy, and a total page-turner. I flew through this book and would highly recommend to someone looking for a good psychological thriller. I will definitely be picking up more by this author!

This wasn't my favorite Lucinda Berry pick, and I feel the ending kind of came out of nowhere - in some ways, I felt like I was reading two different stories. However, it was entertaining enough and I look forward to her next book.

This was my first Lucinda Berry book and I will say that it will NOT be my last one! The MC was definitely "off the deep end" and I loved every bit of this wild ride. It really shows how far gone your brain goes when tragedy strikes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who like family drama and psychological thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I initially was really into this story, but then it abruptly changed directions. I feel like a lot of story lines were thrown in and the characters were hard to support. The ending was really just too dark and disturbing for me. I think she’s a great writer though and I’ll continue to read her books!

When a tragic accident leaves Jules son dead, she goes off the deep end. Suddenly the only person she feels connected to is the other passenger, fifteen year old Isaac Greer, that also survived the crash. Isaac’s family isn’t too keen on the relationship and end up getting a restraining order. When Isaac goes missing there’s much speculation that Jules knows where he is, but with her questionable mental health she must be handled with kid gloves. There’s also a serial killer at large and while everything points to Isaac being the next victim, his mother is sure Jules knows more than she’s telling. As the days go by more questions arise. Are Isaac’s family hiding information as well?? This book took some twisty turns with the main one being easy to figure out if you are really looking for it! Jules and Amber and Mark were frustrating characters, ones you’d like to give a good shake, and ones that if they would have just talked it wouldn’t have had such a devastating ending, but it was a compelling book from start to finish. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This was a dark book that just got more disturbing until it became the "everything but the kitchen sink" plotline. The pacing was good and it was a fast read which I liked. The two mothers who were the alternating perspectives were the most hideous people ever. I didn't like them, couldn't relate to them and didn't care about them. The story had some interesting threads, but things were thrown in that didn't make sense and other storylines just petered out with out resolution. I have read this author before and really enjoyed her, but this one was not my favorite. I will read her again in the future though.

3-3.5 stars

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book, and while it kept my attention for the most part, it fell a little flat at the end for me.

Jules Hart was a therapist turned stay-at-home mom whose life turned upside down after crashing her car into a lake. Her teenage son and another boy from school were passengers in the car, but she was only able to save one of them…and it wasn’t her son. The loss overwhelmed her, taking a toll on Jules mental health, but she and Isaac, the boy she saved, develop a bond over their survivor’s guilt. But month’s later, Isaac is taken, presumably by a dangerous killer who’s been targeting boys in the area. Jules is adamant she had nothing to do with it, but Isaac’s mother is convinced Jules knows what really happened to him.

Overall I thought this was a pretty good book with some interesting twists. As the story progressed, though, I did find Jules’ relationship with Isaac a bit worrisome. It made sense that they would become attached to one another after such a traumatic experience and having saved one anothers’ lives. But with Jules being an adult, a mother, and a therapist, you would think she’d know better and not misconstrue her feelings for Isaac. The end of the book was a little too bizarre but I get it really did live up to the title.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy of this book to review.*

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Holy smokes! This book is about a car accident that changes the course of the people’s lives involved and affects their families. I had no idea what to expect and never had any idea of what would happen next, which I absolutely love! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story but it may be triggering for some as there are themes of death, suicide, and inappropriate relationships. I will definitely be recommending to friends and family and if you’re into psychological thrillers, make sure to read this!

The description of this book sounds awesome, but it was not for me. The characters are whiny and I could not connect to them or the sotry

Woof. I didn't like this book. I don't think I enjoy Berry as an author and I had forgotten I didn't like her other novel.

Where to start? The book started off well. I was curious where Isaac was and if he was Alive. I was hoping this would be more of a thriller and less of a whatever this was. I kept reading and it got harder to read as I went.

I didn't like the characters all of them were annoying and ignorant. They reminded me all of children even if they are grown adults. I couldn't wait for this book to be finished.

I don't mind when plots are far fetched but this was a bit much even for me.

This just wasn't my cup of tea and it seemed like 500 pages instead of 250.

Thanks for Thomas and Mercer and netgalley for this Arc.

A mother's love knows no bounds.

We meet Jules 10 months after the car accident that changed her life. She was driving her son and the neighbor's son, Isaac, home and skidded on black ice. They went into the water and was only able to save Isaac. She's a former therapist that has been institutionalized.

Isaac's mother Amber is in a different hell. Her son survived that night but has never been the same. That mixed with his trauma bond to Jules has caused a lot of trouble but now Isaac is missing. Amber just knows this stinks of Jules' involvement but there's also someone kidnapping boys and leaving their clothes laundered and and boxed in the park before their bodies are found. It's gotta be this guy, right?

When a boy goes missing the body is found two weeks later and it's already been nearly a week so every second counts and this is going to get a whole lot messier!

So there is a LOT going on here. Lucinda Berry is never afraid to delve into difficult topics and situations. This ended up being a lot heavier than I was expecting. It's on the level of Saving Noah, as far as discomfort and disgust. It's definitely not a cute little domestic drama but I always love seeing her weave a web for us.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

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.

In August 2020, I read my first book by the author and then never looked back. I love her stories and was so excited to read this new one.

There's a lot going on in here and I liked Isaac’s character and I felt so bad for him. The adults left me with various questions, though.

I think I would definitely act so strange and with no reason if one of my kids went missing. I didn't understand why his father was acting so strange about the detergent. And then all the video games that actually were a big part of the reason Issac left and did what he did.

I found it intriguing and sad at the same time overall. I can only imagine how any parent feels when something similar happens in real life. And for that, I think the author had done a great job of bringing more awareness about the other parts involved in a similar situation.

I'm looking forward to read more by the author because she is still one of my favourite.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review

This was my first book by this author. I am not sure what I was expecting but I don't think this was executed well. I thought the characters were rather annoying. I thought the beginning was intriguing but after that I quit caring.

Off the Deep End is the perfect title and description for Lucinda Berry's latest psychological mystery. When therapist Jules, her son Gabe and his basketball teammate Isaac are in a tragic car accident, Jules saves one of them-thinking the whole time it's her son. When they hit the surface of the lake they crashed into she realizes it' is Isaac. This serves as a catalyst for a collision course for Jules and Isaac. Months later, Jules is in a treatment facility and Isaac has become despondent. When he doesn't return home one evening, after walking the family dog, the police are concerned he has become the latest victim of a Midwest serial killer as the pattern fits-but also interview Jules to determine if she is involved. These interviews give glimpses into Jules' descent into grief and psychosis. She stresses her innocence in Isaac's disappearance-but is keeping explosive secrets. Amber, Isaac's mom, is determined to save her son against all costs and find the culprit. With major twists and turns and an ending that is foreshadowed but you will not see coming, this is a book you'll find yourself flying through to get to the end. With that said, there are some events that may be disturbing (although unfortunately relevant) and difficult to read. There are a couple loose ends that I would have liked resolved but overall a 4 star read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Your entire life can change in an instant. A lesson Jules Hart learns as she endures every parent’s worst nightmare. When an accident sends her car off the road and into an icy lake, Jules amazingly manages to get out and then swims back down determined to save her son. She thinks she has him, but when she surfaces again, it’s not her son but rather Issac, the other boy that was in her car that she’s managed to save. Needless to say the emotional and mental stress caused by this is more than she can handle. More than half a year later when Issac suddenly goes missing, Jules becomes a person of interest. Is it possible she had something to do with the boy’s disappearance? It’s a fairly gripping story with complex characters dealing with serious issues. I do have to say the story takes a few twists I don’t think many will see coming. Overall it’s enjoyable but not her best. I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Off the Deep End.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2QPJDF9VW0J28/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

*****THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**********

Where to start with this review…. First off, this book had me HOOKED. Despite being in a crazy reading slump, I could not stop turning the pages of this book if I tried. The premise is original and the story is densely layered.

I loved diving into Jules’s story and watching her mental state devolve into something absolutely horrific. At times, I even felt myself wanting to read through Amber’s POV as quickly as possibly in order to get back to Jules. No one writes unhinged characters quite like Lucinda Berry!

In the end, however, I came away feeling like the final act could have been stronger. My main issue is that the plot seemed to lose focus about 80% of the way through. There was a distinct shift from witnessing two mothers coping with trauma and grief, to Isaac’s double life online and his plot to carry out a mass shooting.

If these were two separate novels, I think they would excel in their own right. But because they’re forced together I finished the book wishing for something a little different.

3.5 ⭐️