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Lucinda Berry
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The Perfect Child Kindle Edition

by Lucinda Berry (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 69,656 ratings
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A Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.

A page-turning debut of suspense about a young couple desperate to have a child of their own—and the unsettling consequences of getting what they always wanted.

Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.

But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.

Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    371 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Thomas & Mercer
  5. Publication date
    March 1, 2019
  6. File size
    2982 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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  1. It gave us an opportunity to miss each other, and sometimes you needed that in a relationship even when you loved each other as much as we did.
    Highlighted by 1,596 Kindle readers
  2. I wished I were as optimistic as I pretended. I used to be. Not anymore.
    Highlighted by 875 Kindle readers
  3. She crawled up on my lap and whispered in her sweet voice, “I like hurting people. Do you?”
    Highlighted by 263 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“I am a compulsive reader of literary novels—but this has been a terrible year for fiction that is actually readable, and not experimental. I have been so disappointed when well-known writers came out with books that, to me, were just duds. But there was one book that kept me reading, the sort of novel I can’t put down…The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry. It speaks to the fear of every parent: What if your child is a psychopath? This novel takes it a step farther. A couple, desperate for a child, have the chance to adopt a beautiful little girl who, they are told, has been abused. They’re told it might take a while for her to learn to behave and trust people. She can be sweet and loving, and in public is adorable. But in private—well, I won’t give away what happens. But, needless to say, it’s chilling.” —Gina Kolata, New York Times

“[O]n the nightmare scale, Lucinda Berry’s thriller may top the charts.” —Popular Culture Association

“A mesmerizing, unbearably tense thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder and sleeping with one eye open. This creepy, serpentine tale explores the darkest corners of parenthood and the profoundly unsettling lengths one will go to to keep a family together—no matter the consequences. Electrifying and atmospheric, this dark gem of a novel is one I couldn’t put down.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author

“A deep, dark, and dangerously addictive read. All-absorbing to the very end!” —Minka Kent, Washington Post bestselling author

From the Publisher

For eager adoptive parents Chris and Hannah Bauer, getting the child they always wanted is a dream come true. But be careful what you wish for. What they always wanted comes with chilling consequences.

When abandoned child Janie is brought into the hospital where Chris and Hannah work, it’s obvious she’s experienced severe trauma, and they know raising her will be hard. Yet they can’t help but fall in love with her. But once they bring her home, things quickly start to go south. As the pair slowly starts to uncover pieces of Janie’s past, the child’s behavior grows more disturbing.

I was spellbound as I started to unravel the mystery of Janie and watch a once-perfect couple struggle to keep their marriage alive. I love when a book leaves me in chills, and The Perfect Child did not disappoint.

- Megha Parekh, Editor

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07F6C3YYL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer (March 1, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 1, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2982 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 371 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1503905128
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 69,656 ratings

About the author

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Lucinda Berry

Lucinda Berry

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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. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com/.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
69,656 global ratings
I need more!!!
5 Stars
I need more!!!
This was a great read. As a child care professional this was terrifying, but great. I cannot even imagine a child like Janie and what that family went through. My only complaint was how quickly the book ended. I NEED MORE!!
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Top reviews from the United States

Sarah Terry
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
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It was a very intriguing book. It's exactly what it says to be. There's a lot of true psychology in it and it's interesting to read how trauma affects behavior. It was a good read.
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Nikkhi
4.0 out of 5 stars A little predictable, but still intense
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2019
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The first thing I can say is that from the very start you have a pretty general idea of how it will end, but that does nothing to diminish the intensity of the journey. To my surprise, there was a bit of a twist at the end that brought the story full circle.

The second thing: this story isn’t for everyone. It can be graphic in detailing abuses and sociopathic behaviors. If you are someone who “relaxes” with true crime documentaries and Law and Order SVU type shows, movies and books, then you will find the thrill in this book.

All said, I can say this was one of the few times I missed having an epilogue to reflect on how these characters fared in the near future.

This part will contain SPOILERS from the book, for those that have read it (or that don’t care about spoilers): this book is told in first person point of view, from the viewpoints of 3 different individuals ( Hannah, Chris, and Piper). I found myself pulling for Hannah throughout the book, and genuinely started wishing she would leave Chris (and by extension, Janie). I found myself very frustrated with Chris always taking Janie’s side and assuming his wife, from the getgo, was the one exaggerating or lying. There were a few major “red flag” moments to make me question Chris’ (and sometimes Hannah’s) intelligence. First being when Janie fully ignored Hannah after Chris went back to work, and Chris didn’t believe his wife (a reasonable adult) over Janie (a virtual stranger, child, and mentally ill individual). I was also surprised that Hannah would still be so eagerly in favor of the adoption (at the final “are you sure, no going back” phase) after many of Janie’s clearly questionable behavior toward her. The next major red flag was after Janie admitted she hurt a little girl repeatedly for the joy of seeing her cry, they decided to GET HER A PET! WTF!? So, clearly that wouldn’t end well (to be fair to Chris here, he had suggested a goldfish, it was Hannah who went full stupid and decided on a kitten). Of course, day one with the new kitty, and psycho Janie had stuck him with a safety pin (cause......fun 🤷‍♀️). While C & H were horrified, they KEPT THE CAT (oh, but no worries, Chris told Janie that wasn’t nice and not to do it again - problem solved 🙄). Never have I rooted so hard for a six year to get killed - specifically by Hannah!! Moving along, Hannah has a baby and Janie acts out, leading to a super awkward breast feeding situation, and a dark turning point for Hannah. Janie (who again, is 6 going on 7 - though developmentally much younger) decides she want to breastfeed, like the new baby. Typical bratty kid with new baby bro stuff, right? Hannah tells her no and explains it’s just for babies. Janie has a meltdown. Later after Chris is home, Hannah explains what happened and says she thinks she’s going to give in and breastfeed Janie. Chris is mortified but backs her play. This is a strange decision by Hannah, who already isn’t liking Janie much anymore. The next morning Chris goes to work (@ the hospital) and H goes through with breastfeeding Janie, who proceeds to intentionally bite her, resulting in an ER visit, stitches, no longer able to breastfeed, horrible pain, and eventually a terrible infection. This event changes everything for Hannah. I like to think she finally saw the light. Long story short, at one point Janie kills the cat (big shock there), she’s told again by Chris that it wasn’t nice. From here Hannah pretty much never puts her son down again for fear of the girl. She tells Chris that Janie’s got to go. He argues they adopted her, she’s theirs, they love her, she’s a sweet little girl, etc. Hannah’s not having it. By this point Hannah locks Janie into her room each day while Chris works, and never lets out, she’s figured out that the girl was likely not abused and she was tied up by her (now dead) birth mother for being evil (surprise - she’s right). Hannah has a full meltdown and tries to kill Janie and near fatally injures her son in the process. She goes into a mental facility for having a post partum psychotic break. Meanwhile, her and Chris are investigated for child abuse and their kids stay with Hannah’s sister and family rather than foster care. Things go bad. Hannah’s sister ends up dead, nanny cam catches that it was Janie, but not whether deliberate. Janie goes into a special home for RAD patients. Chris still visits her and loves her. Hannah isn’t having it. Then they find out the truth about Janie and that she killed her real mom. This is the end of the story. I really wanted the epilogue here to explore a little bit of how this new info changes Chris’ opinion of Janie and whether Hannah stays with him or leaves with the baby. In any event, a cat was killed, and C&H were responsible! Those should’ve been the real charges levied at them.

Again, while a lot of the book was predictable, generally or specifically, the tension never wavered in the journey to a known end. I rather enjoyed it, and would give other books by this author a chance.
87 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
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I've read several of Lucinda Berry's books and all have been page turners that I could not put down. This one was by far one of my favorites. Terrifying and wonderful!
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Blagica
3.0 out of 5 stars Childs Play
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
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In my quest to tackle all the books gifted to me this year, I recently delved into a compelling narrative courtesy of my secret Santa. Apologies for the delay in sharing my thoughts; it took some time to gather my emotions post-read. Let me dive into the story now.

"Christopher and Hannah" centers on a couple yearning for parenthood. Their lives take a dramatic turn when they encounter Janie, a neglected child in need of care. Despite warnings about Janie's troubled past, Christopher's unwavering affection blinds him to the potential dangers, while Hannah grapples with stark realism. The narrative unfolds through alternating viewpoints, offering insight into the perspectives of Christopher, Hannah, and Piper, Janie's social worker.

The novel meticulously explores the ramifications of Janie's traumatic experiences, with Christopher and Hannah seemingly poised to provide the care she needs. However, Christopher's obliviousness to Hannah's valid concerns and Janie's manipulation adds layers of tension and complexity to the narrative.

While the suspense builds gradually, the revelation of the central conflict arrives late, heightening the novel's chilling atmosphere. Yet, it is precisely this grim subject matter and the discomfort it evokes that hindered my enjoyment, prompting a three-star rating.

Nevertheless, the book's continuation in a short story format promises a quick yet intriguing follow-up, which I look forward to exploring during my upcoming readathon.
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Odalis
4.0 out of 5 stars Emotional read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
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This book had a great build up and ends kind of abruptly in my opinion. I feel like the ending didn't really close the loop. It does show how the system can fail a child and/or adults. Does a great job at showing the consequences of being closed minded and quick to not believe things that could actually be happening. I think its a great read, couldn't put it down. Wanted to know what was going to happen next just really wish it could've had a bit more to the ending. At least let us know what ended up happening.
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Cess
5.0 out of 5 stars Woah! This book pulled at you in so many directions
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024
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This was my first read by this author. It will absolutely not be my last! I didn'tknow much about the storyline, so it was surprising. At first, I felt so sad for the child.. I had a hard time pulling myself away from it. Such vivid character development! You feel as if you know these characters. I felt their anguish and sorrow. At one point, I felt bad for hating a child character as much as I did, but that’s how well the author developed the characters. I felt bad and got angry at each character at different times. It was an awesome ride. Highly recommended!!
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Gigi
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
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Wow, from beginning to end this book was a page turner. Such a great read I almost did not want to put this book down during bedtime.
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Karen Coleman
4.0 out of 5 stars The end..
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
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I get not every book needs a happy ending but they should have some type of ending. To have to read another book for “closure” from the first doesn’t feel right.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Anabel Plascencia
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing
Reviewed in Mexico on October 25, 2023
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From beginning to end, this book had me hooked, couldn’t put it down, it has just the perfect amount of suspense and creepy factor because of how true it could be that leaves you wondering and reeling for days to come.
10/10
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Tanisa kellington
5.0 out of 5 stars another amazing read
Reviewed in Canada on July 21, 2023
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Lucinda is the only author that has ever locked me into a book to the point I actually fiend to read it. Everything she writes is amazing. As soon as I get into a new book of hers, I immediately don’t want to put it down and when I absolutely have to, I’m not happy about it. Every single book so far has not failed to amaze and also traumatize the crap out of me in the best way possible LOL. Now go get to reading her books, you will not regret reading a single one of them!
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margaret ferry
5.0 out of 5 stars Book review on The Perfect Child.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2024
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Amazing book. It informs on the complexities of social work and child protective services. Heart breaking too as everyone involved were affected by Jamie's problems.
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Manu
5.0 out of 5 stars Super Spannend Ende war etwas enttäuschend
Reviewed in Germany on January 23, 2024
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Wirklich gutes buch, klare Empfehlung, jedoch hätte ich das Ende absolut nicht erwartet, aber trotzdem klasse. Aber man sollte die Triggerwarnungen beachten
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Disturbingly and hauntingly interesting
Reviewed in India on July 10, 2023
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This is my first book by Lucinda. It was a crazy addictive ride. I couldn't keep it down and read it in one go. I didn't sleep trying to finish the book, and the ending doesn't help still.

I'll be haunted by the story for weeks.
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