Audible Originals

Audible Release: September 9, 2019

Listening Length: 2 hours 23 minutes

Narrator: Brittany Pressley

Genre: Psychological Thriller

KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I purchased this audiobook on Audible.

Dr. Lucinda Berry is a former clinical psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. Now, she spends her days writing full-time, where she uses 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 Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon.

“Just like that… the phone goes dead.”

Alexis is a stay-at-home mom of two children, Gracie, who is a toddler, and Mason, who is an infant. She thinks her marriage is secure and stable and that her husband, Jared, is hardworking albeit neglectful with helping around the house and the children. When one glass of afternoon wine becomes two, Alexis wakes up in jail. With foggy memories and a lot of questions.

This novella was so good! I didn’t want it to be over; I enjoyed the pacing and the plot. I love when books don’t have a ton of unnecessary filler, and this was to the point.

I liked Alexis. She reminded me of someone I adore in a lot of ways. I appreciate that Lucinda expressed how hard being a stay-at-home parent can be and how stressful when the children are fussy and lonely when your partner doesn’t help. It was accurate and well placed.

Jared was a jerk from the start, though that makes sense much later. I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt when he said, “he shouldn’t have to help around her house or with the children because he earns a living.” That mentality is so disgusting, so disrespectful, and just ignorant.

Farrah was an excellent buffer character. She was the support and friend that Alexis needed while dealing with her situation. She was available, supportive, and ready to take action.

I enjoyed the pace of this story. The buildup has excellent intensity, and it was easy to empathize with Alexis. I found the way the story unfolded details cleverly.

Something I love with Lucinda Berry’s books is how she weaves her details so beautifully. She leaves hints throughout, but you don’t register those nuggets as anything relevant until later.

Beautifully performed, with dynamic emotional range, I am delighted to have taken this short journey. This would be such a fantastic tv show! The twists. THE ENDING. Holy buckets!