Publisher’s Description
One woman’s reappearance throws her family into turmoil, exposing dark secrets and the hidden, often devastating truth of family relationships.
Kate Bennett vanished from a parking lot eleven years ago, leaving behind her husband and young daughter. When she shows up at a Montana gas station, clutching an infant and screaming for help, investigators believe she may have been abducted by a cult.
Kate’s return flips her family’s world upside down—her husband is remarried, and her daughter barely remembers her. Kate herself doesn’t look or act like she did before.
While the family tries to help Kate reintegrate into society, they discover truths they’ve been hiding from each other about their own relationships. But they aren’t the only ones with secrets. As the family unravels what happened to Kate, a series of shocking revelations shows that Kate’s return is more sinister than any of them could have imagined.
Thrilling Reads Book Review: When She Returned by Lucinda Berry
Lucinda Berry’s When She Returned is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the aftermath of a woman’s shocking reappearance after being missing for over a decade. When Kate Bennett is found at a Montana gas station clutching a baby and claiming she was held captive by a cult, her family’s already fragile existence is shattered. Her husband, Scott, has moved on and remarried, while her daughter, Abbi, barely remembers her. As Kate struggles to reintegrate into a life that has moved on without her, dark secrets and buried resentments come to the surface, leading to a series of revelations that challenge everything they thought they knew.
Berry excels at crafting an intense and emotional narrative, drawing readers into the complex dynamics of a fractured family. The novel is fast-paced, making it an engaging read from start to finish. While it doesn’t rely on shocking twists like some thrillers in the genre, the suspense lies in uncovering the truth about Kate’s disappearance and the psychological turmoil her return ignites.
One of the novel’s weaknesses, however, is the characterization. Scott and Abbi’s treatment of Meredith, Scott’s new wife, feels particularly unfair, and their reactions to Kate’s return make them difficult to sympathize with. That said, Berry’s writing is as compelling as ever, delivering a solid, well-crafted story that keeps the reader engaged.
Though When She Returned may not be the most twist-filled thriller, it is still a thought-provoking exploration of trauma, survival, and the devastating ripple effects of a missing person’s return. Fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense will appreciate its gripping storyline, even if they don’t always find the characters likable.
Lucinda Berry Author Interview
I interviewed Lucinda Berry in 2018 on my podcast, Meet the Thriller Author. You can check that out here or listen below.
