This is a serious contender for best thriller of 2025 for me. I was hooked from the first chapter- it took me less than 24 hours to finish lol. Narrating dialogue of text messages vs spoken word is sometimes tricky but these narrators really knocked it out of the park. The pacing and flow was great, it almost gave the same vibe as graphic audios.
As for the story itself- 10/10. Jenna is a successful therapist that happens to be experiencing some struggles in her own life, specifically her marriage. Her husband has recently moved back into their home after a separation. Colten is willing to work on their marriage with the caveat that Jenna stops snooping through his phone. She knows he is serious about leaving for good if she goes through his phone again and yet she can’t help herself. She even acknowledges to herself that he hasn’t done anything to make her suspect him of something. She genuinely just can’t help herself.
The second she goes through his phone she finds a text thread between Colten & his cousin, Bodie (also her brother in law) that imply Bodie has done something bad at a bachelor party that could have an effect on her sister and unborn nieces. While reading these messages she realizes they are talking about one of her patients; a young 3rd year med student who also does adult entertaining to help pay for school. Like an addict looking for her next fix, Jenna is unable to control her urges and installs a spyware app on Colten’s phone so she has easier access to his messages. Jenna’s obsession with getting to the bottom of everything leads her to go through all her session notes & recordings to compare with Colten’s texts. Her patient claims to have a stalker from a party she worked, constantly sending her texts and showing up at her school.
Jenna is such a complex character because you want to admonish her for her behavior and yet the more she digs the more her justifications seem valid. It is really interesting to have such as flawed person be able to voice all the reasons they shouldn’t continue snooping while also being so completely at the mercy of their need to do so.

Jenna is a therapist in private practice when her professional and personal lives begin to collide. She hears her husband Colten talking to his best friend Bodie about an interaction with a stripper named Lexus Chardonnay. The name is familiar because it's the stage name that her clients Kaitlin uses to dance.

As things spiral Jenna delves into her past sessions with Kaitlin trying to help out her husband. She's already blurring the lines, can she help solve the problem without getting hurt?

This is such a tense, slow burn. I listened to the audiobook and it was so well done I suggest you grab the audio version / settle in for a great experience. A full cast of characters, each one a well formed individual that is engaging and believable. Excellent sound effects, the therapy sessions are especially taut and well executed. It's not a long story (I listened to it straight through in one sitting), but every tense minute is well worth your time. Don't miss this tense audiobook thriller. 4.5 stars.

I received this advance audio copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Having devoured this thriller in just one day, I can confidently say it’s unputdownable. Berry delivers on October 12, 2025 with a story that’s both chilling and complex—proof in the pudding that domestic life can harbor the most dangerous secrets.

The novel feels diabolical—every twist is tight, each character layered, and the pacing relentless. What starts as ordinary quickly spirals into something dark and compelling.

If you’re in the mood for a psychological domestic thriller that hooks you and doesn’t let go, this is your next stop. Truly a standout release.

I received an ARC of the audiobook on NetGalley in which I thought the narrators did an excellent job as well! Keep them coming!!!

this like reaaaalllyy worked for me.

This is a novella length audiobook that's made with a full cast. Normally these end up being really cheesy to me and I was weary cuz it is a thriller so how could they possibly keep me on the edge of my seat and shock me in a novella length audiobook, BUT LET ME TELL YOU.

Is this going to be like a completely twisted shock that you don't see coming? probably not.
BUT the way that Lucinda writes I was sitting here with my jaw on the floor most of the book.

I loved that the story was told through so many different mixed media formats - text messages, phone calls, appointment recording transcripts etc. It made the full cast make so much sense and really used every aspect of an audiobook in the perfect way in my opinion.

I could have absolutely read/listened to a full length book of this plot. I wanted more and was sitting here shook when it was over because so much was packed into such a short story!

I won't say much more to not spoil any of the goodness, but if you like audiobooks or you like thrillers this is a definite must listen!

5 out of 5 stars! The full cast for the audiobook was fantastic and made me immersed in this book immediately, and it accompanied the storyline so well. Very short and fast-paced, in which you can finish this in one sitting!

Jenna is a successful private therapist, she has her own trust issues and can’t stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone. An exchange between Colten and his cousin Brodie about a bachelor they both attended gets Jenna’s alarm bells ringing. She recognises the name of a stripper who attended from one of her therapy clients.

There’s a twisted web for Jenna to untangle, accusations of stalking, blackmail and more.

The audio production with full cast recording is exceptional. Five different voices, mix in the mediums of phone calls, voicemails, recordings of therapy sessions and sound effects and you’ve got a very atmospheric piece of audio performance art.

I love that authors are exploring the audio medium more deeply, and after One Of Our Own and now This Is A Safe Space you have to recognise Lucinda Berry as one of the leading proponents in audio thrillers. Reading the text just wouldn’t have the same impact.

Exceptional production of a very good, involved, audio focussed thriller novella and this is a great experience. Highly recommended for audiobooks listeners and Lucinda Berry fans.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Audio

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Audio, and Lucinda Berry, for this ARC of "This is a Safe Space-A Thriller" out October 21, 2025.

📝Quick Summary: Jenna, a therapist with her own trust issues, breaks a promise and checks her husband Colten’s phone—only to uncover a disturbing message about a dancer blackmailing his cousin after a bachelor party. The woman’s name, Lexus Chardonnay, is all too familiar. Jenna realizes she’s actually Kaitlyn, a longtime client who’s mysteriously stopped showing up to therapy. As Jenna revisits their past sessions, she’s forced to question everything—her marriage, her career, and who she can really trust.

💡Thoughts and Feelings: I really enjoyed this audiobook! The full cast made it feel like I was listening to a movie, and it pulled me in right from the start. It was super engaging, fast-paced, and just under 4 hours—perfect for a one-sitting listen. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a quick thriller that keeps you hooked!

⭐️Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars!

This novel was provided by the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

Good narrations for this book. The tone and characters were well thought out and planned. The plot kept my attention the entire way through and had enough dimension to keep me on my toes. Very quick and well worth it to read.

I loved the audiobook! The narrators were amazing and really brought the characters to life! Beautiful job! The only reason I gave this 4 stars out of 5 is I expected more of an unhinged story/ plot twist just because it was written by Lucinda Berry. Great storyline though. I couldn’t stop listening and loved the characters!

This was a fast-paced audio novella that I really enjoyed. I managed to finish it in about an hour and a half at 2.0 I loved the full cast dynamic production with sound effects and ambient background. Perfect for an afternoon thrill.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early access to this audio novella by Dr. Lucinda Berry. This was a quick read that held my interest, and I finished it in an afternoon. I never saw the twist coming even though I thought I had figured it out multiple times. This was fast paced and fun, although none of the characters were particularly likable. I recommend this for those looking for a twisty, quick read.

Was a good story! Clear and to the point! Satisfying conclusion! This is my first Lucinda berry book and I really enjoyed it!!

This Is a Safe Space follows Jenna, a therapist who starts unraveling a chilling connection between one of her patients and her own family. Secrets buried within therapy sessions and a web of lies threaten everything she holds dear. The tension builds beautifully, and Jenna’s inner turmoil is compelling and suspenseful—an emotional thriller that stays with you.
If you’re craving a fast-paced, emotionally resonant story about trust, memory, and buried trauma—this one’s a strong recommendation.

What a great thriller! Fast paced, easy, twisty read with an amazing full cast of narrators. This one kept me on my toes! I picked this up and listened in one sitting!! I had ideas about the twist; but did not expect all that it gave!! This was such a great listen! Absolutely love Lucinda books and this one didn’t disappoint!

Thank you, Simon & Schuster audio, NetGalley, and author Lucinda Berry for this early listening opportunity!!

Lucinda Berry delivered another fun and twisty story. I really enjoyed the this audiobook, the narrators for the various characters did a good job. Some of Lucinda's books are dark this one is definitely not, it is on the lighter side. This is a fast paced quick listen that I really enjoyed, and had me going back and forth on who to point the finger at. .

This is was a fantastic, exquisitely paced thriller. I wish there were more short format thrillers! Jenna has a hard time trusting because her father left their family for a new family when she was younger. Her mom never had another partner despite it being 16 years. Jenna is a therapist who practices from their home and married 5 years to Colton, who she works on trusting despite the fact that he’s never given her a reason to doubt.

Her sister Phoenix, pregnant with twin girls, is married to Colton’s cousin Brodie. She isn’t as close to her sister as she’d like to be. This story starts when she sees a text exchange between her husband and brother in law that gives her pause. And then somehow there seems to be a strong connection to one of her most vulnerable yet strong clients, Caitlin.

I listened to this while on a cross country flight. It was the perfect length and made the time fly by (lol). The relationship was really interesting and the performance…. WOW. Truly a five star performance from the narrators.

This had me riveted from start to finish! I was floored by the ending. Had no idea that was coming!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Audio for the ALC. Publication date 10/20/25.

A fast-paced thriller perfect for fans of unreliable narrators, unhinged women, and wonderfully gray protagonists.

Premise - A therapist with trust issues is quietly ruining her marriage, snooping on her husband, when she uncovers a text thread between him and his brother that's more than a little unsettling. It's not the allusion to a wild night out with strippers that does it, but the way the men talk around something more that happened that night. The therapist keeps digging further, but there are some things, once learned, that can't be unlearnt again...

I saw the twist coming from pretty early on, maybe even right away, but the story was thrilling anyway. It was like watching a slow moving wreck, I just wanted to shout to yell at the protagonist. Open your eyes, girl!

The pacing was great and the characterization of the protagonist was great, too. She was really interesting and I rooted for her (especially in her most unhinged moments, so fun). The other characters didn't feel as real, she was one of a few real people in a world of paper cutouts, and that's why this wasn't quite a 5 for me (that and the predictability), but it was still a super fun popcorn thriller (my favorite kind) and very bingeable.

I listened to the audiobook. I couldn't find who the narrator is, but whoever they are they did a great job!

Thanks, NetGalley and Simon Schuster Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting read that I think is supposed to be mysterious, though what was going on was pretty obvious throughout. I enjoyed the deranged lead enough to listen to this book in its entirety, as well as the scandal.

Stalking.
Mention / recap of SA.
Cheating.
A bit of vi0lence.
Family drama.

Overall:
It was a quick, entertaining listen. I’d read more from this author, it was fun.
4 stars.

🎧Audio:
The audio was pretty great, included some sound effects and other enhancements that really brought it more to life. 5 stars for this producer.

#NetGalley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Audio, and Dr. Lucinda Berry for the advance audiobook of This Is a Safe Place in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who’s read nearly all of Lucinda Berry’s books, I was thrilled to see a new audio original pop up—and I requested it immediately. At just over 3 hours, I hit play and never paused. This wasn’t just an audiobook, it was a full-blown audio production and it was so well done 👏🏼 Reminded me of One of Our Own, which was another fantastic listen!

🧠 The story follows Jenna, a therapist battling her own trust issues, who stumbles across a suspicious exchange on her husband’s phone. The woman involved? Lexus Chardonnay—a name that instantly rings a bell. It belongs to a client of Jenna’s, Kaitlyn, a med student and weekend dancer who recently stopped showing up to sessions after a disturbing encounter with a potential stalker. Not missing—but definitely gone quiet.

Desperate for answers, Jenna starts listening back through past therapy recordings, and what unfolds is a smart, twisty thriller full of blurred lines, high stakes, and a whole lot of tension. 😵‍💫

I loved how tightly written this was—zero filler, no dragging plot, and a payoff that lands. The pacing was perfection, and the emotional layers (especially Jenna’s bond with her sister) gave the story real depth. No spoilers, but the ending was 👌🏼✨

🗓️ Pub date: October 21, 2025 — thriller lovers, go ahead and preorder this one now.

3.5 stars!

A nice fast paced thriller novella. I actually figured out the twist to this one, but it still kept me on my toes the whole time. Since I listen pretty quickly I listened to this while doing some chores.

This was a full cast audio which was a great listening experience complete with sound effects. There were puzzle pieces scattered all throughout this and then in the end when everything came together the puzzle was complete.

Thankful to be able to listen early through netgalley!