Lucinda Berry’s One in Four is a tense, fast-paced psychological thriller that delves into trauma, trust, and the secrets we hide. Centered around a support group for survivors of mass tragedies, the novel explores what happens when one member may be more dangerous than they seem.

I’m a big fan of Lucinda Berry & her books always leave me thinking long after I’ve finished — this one was no different. As with all of her work definitely check the trigger warnings because there’s some heavy & distressing content but I think she handles those topics with care and sensitivity.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline & the mysterious second perspective — it kept me hooked & guessing the whole way through. It’s full of twists & although the ending felt a bit abrupt, this might actually be my favourite Lucinda Berry book yet.

I was so not prepared for how dark this thriller was!

After a young Disney actor dies on set of a reality TV show focusing on actors getting clean, main character, Laurel, is under scrutiny. She’s the police’s top suspect. Little does she know, her unknown past is coming back to haunt her. This is a story of revenge.

This story is so unique. I haven’t read anything like it. I truly flew through some parts, but others lagged. The dramatic irony that absolutely gutted me is a forefront in the story. Please look up trigger warnings before reading! I enjoyed the unique plot, the use of dramatic irony, and how this novel left me gutted for Noelle. The only thing I struggled with was how much interior monologue is from Laurel, I would have liked more scenes and less telling.

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded down to 3

I was really excited to read this book, the synopsis made it sound like it would center around a TV show with former child stars dealing with addiction, which I thought would be a powerful and interesting storyline. Unfortunately, the book didn’t deliver on that in the way I thought it would. This part of the plot ended up being barely mentioned, which left me feeling a bit misled.
The pacing also felt off. It seemed like a big chunk of the story was missing in the middle, and it rushed straight to the ending without much buildup or depth. I also struggled to connect with the characters. There wasn’t much development or backstory, aside from the "Her (Then)" chapters, so I never really felt invested in them. That said, it was a quick and easy read that kept me engaged in the mystery. I did find myself wanting to know what would happen next, which kept me interested.
⚠️ One thing I think is really important to mention is that the book is filled with heavy and potentially triggering content. Themes such as suicide, self harm, bulling, and sexual assault weren’t clearly flagged ahead of time. And they made up a large, if not the entire, portion of the story. If you’re sensitive to these certain topics, I’d recommend reading with caution.

*Thank you to Lucinda Berry, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Lucinda Berry has done it again—One in Four is a haunting, emotionally charged thriller that lingers long after the final page. From the very start, I was pulled into the complexity of the story and the raw, unsettling questions it raises about trust, trauma, and the secrets people carry, especially within families.

Berry’s background in psychology shines through, adding depth and realism to every character. The emotional tension is palpable, and just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would hit—never forced, always earned. Her writing is sharp, compassionate, and brutally honest in the best way.

This is not just a thriller; it’s a deeply human story that explores the cost of silence and the strength it takes to face the truth. I couldn’t put it down—and when it was over, I found myself needing a moment to breathe.

Powerful, suspenseful, and beautifully written—One in Four is Lucinda Berry at her best.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucinda Berry, and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's hard to review One in Four without giving any spoilers, but I will say this book is nothing like the description made it out to be. The reality show setting and former child stars in rehab felt like a blip in any otherwise very complicated and twisted story, that left me unsatisfied and with many questions. While some of the twists were good and I didn't see coming, the story overall felt very convoluted and disjointed. I honestly would've DNF'ed if it hadn't been such a short read.

There were parts of this book that were really hard to read, so please check the trigger warnings before starting this book!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC of this novel.

I really wanted to love this book. This is my second Lucinda Berry book and I really enjoyed the first book by her that o read.

I thought this book started off really strong. I loved the premise with the reality tv show and their therapist but I found once the middle of the book hit it kind of took a turn and the second half of the book didn’t work for me.

The book felt really rushed and a lot of the stories didn’t really add up or make sense. There were some good twists but they kind of came out of nowhere and didn’t always make sense with the rest of the story.

I did appreciate her discussing heavy topics including substance abuse, mental health and bullying I just wish the story had been pulled together better.

Overall, 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3 for this review.

This book was intense. Please be mindful of trigger warnings for addiction and suicidal thoughts and attempts as well as cyber bullying and stalking. I was not expecting such detailed descriptions.

It was a very fast paced read, and I was drawn in instantly on page one by the interesting premise of a reality show with famous addicts living together Big Brother style as they recovered. Of course things go wrong and someone ends up dead (again, mentioned in page one, not a spoiler).

I had some inklings of who was behind things early on, but could not have predicted the details of how it all came together or why.

Written in a duel timeline with only “her” as the identified for the past, you are left also trying to figure out who else played a role in this story.

Overall I enjoyed the book and was definitely on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what happened, but I would not recommend this book to those struggling with suicidal ideation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars
What a wild ride.
Wow this book is crazy good. Even though I figured out something big pretty early on, I still enjoying my reading journey with this book. It is a super quick read that will keep you on your toes the whole way through. This book is marketed as a "Big Brother" type reality show and it was not indeed. We hear about the show but nothing suggests you are watching it at all. I am still thinking about the plot 30 minutes later. It is a book that will stick with me. Be warned there are multiple triggers in this book, so if you are someone that needs them, please look into them first before diving in.

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted ARC!

Oof, I wnated to love this one so badly! Other Luncinda Berry books I've read have been overwhelmingly great and I've been recommending them for years. This was sadly not for me at all.

I couldn't stomach a lot of the content and feel like in some ways some horrible things were glamorized in this book and I don't think many who have serious struggles should pick this up.

I hope this is still a success for her.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy of One in Four by Lucinda Berry.

This ended up being more disturbing than I had anticipated. There were many heavy topics that were difficult to read at points. I love that Lucinda Berry has the knowledge and experience with being a psychologist.

I liked this one but it did feel jumbled at some points. Some things didn’t add up or make sense for me while I thought the book was almost split into two different books with two different storylines going on. It was fast paced and kept my attention but I feel like in the end I was left wanting more.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the book #OneInFour by #LucindaBerry. I liked this book but not so much the ending. I have mixed feelings but overall a good book. Laurel is a chemical dependency counselor and has agreed to do a reality show with child actor stars that are drug addicts. While Laurel tries to figure out who is involved and why, she has to face her own past and the things she’s done. She is determined to find out who killed the young actor, but will she be able to expose them?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lucinda Berry. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Laurel is a sober coach, working on a reality tv show about child stars trying to get sober. The 30 day program of 24/7 live feeds is almost over when there is a mysterious death one of the show participants. Laurel soon finds herself being questioned by police and not being able to understand some of the evidence against her.

Just like reality tv for many, this book was impossible to look away from. I was pulled into the story of Laurel, trying so hard to help these young people become sober. She had issues in her past so she can relate to their struggles. In alternating chapters, we also get the story of a mysterious "her" detailing a sexual assault. Just how is that related? Hold on, reader, because it's going to get wild! I was stunned at the ending, and that last scene!

This was my first book by Lucinda Berry. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I will definitely need to read some others of hers to form my opinion.
This is about a reality show where former child stars are again in a rehab situation. One ends up dead and the race is on to figure out who the killer is.
The first half of the book went fast and then completely switched gears and slowed down and the focus shifted and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I found most of the characters unlikable and a little unbelievable. Some of the characters seemed like totally different people in the second half. It was a bit disappointing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest review. 3.25⭐️

Laurel is a therapist for a group of troubled former child stars. She helps them through their recovering from addiction while streaming 24/7 on a reality TV show. Suddenly, one of the young women dies in a gruesome death and everyone becomes a suspect, including Laurel. Laurel tries to clear her name while also figuring out what really happened that night.

This novel is absolutely wild. The story got better and better as I read on. The characters spiral into madness, driven by obsession, rage, and an unrelenting thirst for retribution. This novel is dark, intense, and left me reeling afterwards.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this arc novel. It was pure chaos and I loved everything about it!

Wow! This will keep you on the edge of your seat! I was not expecting this to be intense so this is your trigger warning. All the triggers honestly.

I'm a Big Brother fan and I love Lucinda Berry so when I heard about a reality show book, I was obviously on board immediately. It's sort of a Big Brother x Celebrity Rehab mashup.

The thing is, it's not about the show. I was expecting juicy reality tv goss and instead was met with a very serious book, which is great for me, but could be triggering for some people.

Laurel is a sober coach, working on Comeback Kids, a reality show about child stars getting sober. It's ethically insane. They're doing 24/7 live feeds of people detoxing. We're past that though and we're nearly to the end of the month when the sweetheart of the show, the young girl whose addiction has not yet destroyed her rep completely, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.

This sets off an unbelievable chain of events. We are going through Laurel's past trauma as she is also in recovery, and through the trauma of another young woman who was victimized, although we don't know whom.

I found the story obviously wild, but a lot of the recovery parts and addiction feelings I found very valid as someone who struggled in their early adulthood as well. I could understand and feel their pain. Lucinda Berry is a master at telling difficult stories so I shouldn't have been surprised this was so dark.

It was amazing, I just want you give people a fair warning. This book has really made me think.

📚: One in Four by Lucinda Berry
⭐️: 3/5

Take former child stars with substance abuse addictions, put them all in a house to be filmed 24/7, and provide a therapist to guide their way to sobriety. What could possibly go wrong? A lot when one unexpectedly winds up dead.

How is it that a book that I felt dragged at times needed about 20 more pages at the end to give a solid conclusion? I finished this one feeling underwhelmed, with the plot taking a pretty drastic left turn about halfway through.One of the twists at the end (in the past narrative) was so very well done, but didn't get the spotlight it deserved as a standout moment in the book and ultimately was glossed over.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. One in Four is out now.

This was an amazing addicting thrillers. the hits and twists were blasting all over the places. Literally blew me away,

A must to read ASAP in 2025

What a storyline! So many different difficult conversations all tied in to one, but everything made sense and flowed so well together. I feel like Lucinda berry highlighted celebrity teen struggles in a way that humanized them. There's so many times where people say "well they have the money, why can't they just pay to get thru rehab? Or pay to get better?" when it's really not that easy.

I liked Laurel's storyline as well. I appreciated how she related to the teens, but didn't want that overshadow their time in the facility and their healing.

I wasn't sure how it was all going to wrap, but this was the LAST thing I expected! A really great read, highly recommend! You should read the trigger warnings before plunging in to this read. This really opened my eyes and I'm so happy I got an ARC of One in Four by Lucinda Berry! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

I enjoyed Lucinda Berry's newest thriller One In Four. I thought the story was complex. The plot moved quickly. The story is told mainly from the current timeline, but also includes a POV from an unknown person in a past timeline. I really liked how this worked for the storyline. I thought the twists were unexpected, and the ending wrapped everything up nicely.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.