S. F. Prescott

Disturbing and suspenseful!

Dr. Lucinda Berry is a former psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. Now she writes full time, using her clinical experience to blur the line between fiction and nonfiction. She enjoys taking her readers on a journey through the dark recesses of the human psyche. Her work has been optioned for film and translated into multiple languages. If Dr. Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon.

Published August 15th, 2023.

A Welcome Reunion is a short sequel to The Perfect Child, and considering I haven’t read the previous novel, I was impressed by how much information Berry managed to cover in this story, without slowing the pace. It centers around a married couple, Hannah and Christopher, who are reunited with their adopted daughter, Janie, once she is released from juvenile detention eleven years after the ‘accidental’ death of Hannah’s sister. After a social worker assigned to the case makes startling new discoveries about Janie, the Bauer’s decide to take matters into their own hands.

I loved this short story! It was one of the last books I managed to squeeze in at the end of 2023, and I’m so glad I picked it up. I read the entire thing in one setting and couldn’t put it down. Berry’s voice felt unique but also fit perfectly into the thriller genre. The characters were intriguing, and their pasts were shocking to read about. The author’s voice was engaging and the story gripped me throughout. The last scene still sticks with me when Hannah goes to visit Janie—to warn her I had assumed—and the random last minute decision that changes the course of the ending in a dramatic way. My mouth hung open but it was also satisfying to read considering how sociopathic Janie’s character is. Themes of trauma play out clearly in this short story, not only for the Bauers’ but also for Janie who was essentially shaped by it. Her descriptions were immersive and the suspense was palpable. The ending was satisfying albeit a bit extreme, but I could empathize with Hannah after learning everything that drove her to that point. I will definitely be checking out Lucinda Berry’s other books in the future.

For readers who enjoy short fiction, dark topics, and surprise endings.

Synopsis:

Janie is the last person Hannah and Christopher Bauer want to see again.

But Janie’s moved back to Clarksville. She’s no longer the frail child Hannah and Christopher adopted over eleven years ago. The child who destroyed their lives. Now Janie is out of juvenile detention—a beautiful, confident young adult—and publicly promoting her new tell-all memoir.

At just eighteen, Janie has a violent and tragic story to share, brimming with grisly details. Details the public can’t get enough of…and that the Bauers can’t bear to relive. Janie has taken a new name and claims to have reformed her sociopathic ways. She’s ready to make amends. But when the Bauers refuse to meet with her, she takes matters into her own hands.

After the social worker formerly assigned to the case makes disturbing revelations about Janie’s calculated behavior, the Bauers brace for Janie’s next move, determined to protect their family—at any cost.