Lucinda Berry is one of my go-to authors for psychological thrillers, because she just does it so well. So, I have been going through her backlist.

Phantom Limb is the story of Elizabeth Rooth, who has a twin sister named Emily, and both girls suffered horrific abuse as children. Now grown, Elizabeth witnesses Emily kill herself, and suddenly she finds herself in an ICU, and then admitted to a psych ward. There, she learns the dark truth of her and her family’s past…some of which she never wants to face.

I read this book in 2 days. I felt for Elizabeth’s predicament, and I was rooting for her to find the truth and get out of the hospital. There are some really dark themes in this book, and admittedly some of it was very hard to read. The ending…I did not see that coming. And I’ve read my share of suspense and mystery novels. Tension was maintained throughout and I kept wanting to read more.

This author will continue to be an auto-buy for me in the future. ( )

Lucinda Berry is one of my go-to authors for psychological thrillers, because she just does it so well. So, I have been going through her backlist.

Phantom Limb is the story of Elizabeth Rooth, who has a twin sister named Emily, and both girls suffered horrific abuse as children. Now grown, Elizabeth witnesses Emily kill herself, and suddenly she finds herself in an ICU, and then admitted to a psych ward. There, she learns the dark truth of her and her family’s past…some of which she never wants to face.

I read this book in 2 days. I felt for Elizabeth’s predicament, and I was rooting for her to find the truth and get out of the hospital. There are some really dark themes in this book, and admittedly some of it was very hard to read. The ending…I did not see that coming. And I’ve read my share of suspense and mystery novels. Tension was maintained throughout and I kept wanting to read more.

This author will continue to be an auto-buy for me in the future. ( )

This novel is more of a Psychological Domestic Drama than "Gripping Psychological Thriller".
Told in first person narrative, the main character Elizabeth finds herself in a mental facility with no recollection of how she got there.
As the reader, it was fairly easy to figure out the plot early on. However, it was interesting to see how the author unraveled Elizabeth's past to reveal her lost memories.
The clinical portions seemed well researched, and the use of mental health diagnostics added realism. But, there really was no thrill. It was more like a made for TV drama. ( )

Phantom Limb by Lucinda Berry is first and foremost a story about twins. Elizabeth and Emily are identical twins who as young children lived a hellish life. From a very young age, their single parent mother would leave them home alone for days while she was out drinking and running around. When she came home the two little girls were subjected to terrible abuse. They were rescued and raised by a loving couple, but too much damage had already been done for these girls to ever totally recover.

The plots twists and turns throughout the book which starts with Elizabeth waking in a hospital room and the last thing she remembers is finding her twin, Emily dead. Before too long she has been placed in the psychiatric unit and being told things that confuse her and make her even more unsure of what is real and what isn’t. Working hard to overcome her personal demons she delves into both her and Emily’s past trying to unravel the psychological puzzle that is her life.

Phantom Limb is a revealing look at what it’s like to have your life spin out of control as your brain tries to provide you with a version of reality that doesn’t agree with the facts. The author is a clinical psychologist and obviously knows about her subject matter. I found Phantom Limb to be a quick, chilling and compelling read. ( )

This is Elizabeth (Bethy) and Emily Rooth’s tragic story. They are identical twins and according to Elizabeth they have lived as if they were conjoined twins that were never separated. “Mother” was very abusive. She would keep them locked in their bedroom and would disappear sometimes for days. As they grow older Mother started bringing home special friends, male friends, and the abuse escalated to an unimaginable level.

One day the girls accidentally start a fire in the kitchen. When help arrives they are discovered and removed. The Rooths, a loving couple who could not have children, adopt them. Despite the Rooth’s best efforts there were some scars that their love could not erase.

Ms. Berry, the author, did an outstanding job of putting a face to the disease of mental illness. I expected no less since she is a clinical psychologist. The twins’ story is raw and emotional and Berry has given us a unique glimpse into the mind of someone who has experienced traumatic events. The entire story is fiction, but it is so well written it feels like it could be nonfiction.

This is a fast paced book with masterful twists. It is dark and it hooks you in the first few pages; so be prepared, once you start reading you will not be able to stop until the end. Be aware that some of the subjects presented in the book, such as child abuse, self-harm, and rape, may not be for every reader.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. See more reviews and author interviews on my blog at www.thespineview.com. ( )