When She Returned: A Novel Paperback – 15 October 2019

Very different story ... extremely interesting... and wow you just cannot make out whats going to happen till the end.. outstanding... must read

Kate Bennett vanished from a parking lot eleven years ago, leaving behind her husband and her 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.Her husband and daughter,along with his new wife, Meredith, bring Kate and her baby into their home while the FBI and police investigate multiple viewpoints and struggle to break through her wall of silence. A three way narrative recounts the story with teenage daughter, Abbi, Kate and Meredith’s individual perspectives in the present and a ‘then’ narrative following the perspective of Kate at the time of her disappearance.And whilst I understood the reason for Scott to believe in his childhood sweethearts circumstances also empathizing with Meredit's situation along with vulnerable Abbi I struggled with Kate's narrative. If her reasons for  returning were sinister enough! There were other couple of aspects in the book I had trouble with as well.The first part of the novel had me hooked it had all the makings of a thriller.But once Kate’s story moves into cult territory my interest waned and although there is a twist into the close, I felt the suspense fizzled out of the story and it lost its forward momentum.Readers are given unnecessarily in-depth insights into the cult that Kate was part of. Although needed those details, the ones described in depth were not even relevant neither did they have a feel of dread! Any scary or unbelievable process of her brainwashing and her mental state or physical responses to blindly be a part of the cult were just mentioned as a matter of fact instances and the reason of how she managed the initial trauma she was put through were just skimmed through.That should have been the main focus for readers to understand more about the cult fixation logic.But most of all there were no initial description of the kind of a person Kate was before her joining the cult. If she was mentally and emotionally stable to differentiate her to who she turned into and what she became. What was she thinking in the present state of mind and did she internalize her suffering.Also I wanted to understand how the characters felt and the implications of Kate’s return.Throughout Kate’s narrative is pure backstory that fails to convey any of her present day emotions or fears which leaves her as a caricature in thepresent scenario.An interesting read but I also had reservations about the novels progression and the abrupt end. The fluidity and reasoning cleary flip flopping. Seemed rushed and we have no idea how each one dealt with the catastrophe post end.Left a lot to the readers imagination.The novel is more a mystery read than a mounting dread or a psychological thriller.No doubt the Author Lucinda Berry is quite a fantastic and insightful writer. Her background and experience has been clearing displayed in her approach to the story. She does address the important concept  and gives us the reader an opportunity to understand how circumstances we shrug our shoulders and nod our heads over end up occurring. She definitely understands how fragile and easily influenced human beings are. I think anyone interested in the fundamentals of brain washing, human behavior, and an understanding of cult dynamics will get a lot out of this unique and mind-boggling story. Although the story line is fiction but as a society many a times we have witnessed quite a few similar occurrences mimicking the structured and blind beliefs.

A gripping but disturbing story of an evil but charismatic man who forms a cult with members who deem him a prophet of God.3 stars for keeping me interested throughout ; 2 stars denied for lacking credibility or depth.

Story line is good. But the author dragged on for too long and unnecessarily. The ending was sort of an anti climax

The story is interesting but hasn't been narrated as well as expected .There are patches which looks uninteresting and full of incredulity. The author being a trained psychologist could have done a better job.

spoiler alertit's just a typical c u l t story.well, the ending is how I wanted so 3/5.

Not a super intense page turner but it had my attention the whole way through. It’s a good mystery book, leaving a good cliffhanger to want more at the end. Worth the read, it pulled me away from the not-so-great books I have been reading.

This was such a good book! A really fast read for me and it was interesting and original!! I truly enjoyed it.

Nunca tive interesse em seitas e sei pouco sobre o assunto, mas a maneira como a autora aborda o tema através da personagem que se torna uma "discípula" me pareceu bem escrita e realista. fiquei muito chocada com a descrição mas achei tudo bastante convincente. foi a parte da história que mais me interessou embora o enredo da volta dela para casa seja bastante fácil e agradável de ler. foi um page-turner que me deixou vidrada do começo ao fim e o tipo de livro que nao esquecerei com facilidade. recomendo

En verdad que es una lástima. No sabía que el tema principal sería sobre cultos, nunca antes había leído un libro con esta temática pero sí he leído noticias de la vida real de gente que es secuestrada o que se va por voluntad propia y regresan con severos traumas, he leído sobre las atrocidades que se cometen y la verdad, es un tema que me intriga pero que a la vez me da un coraje y asco.La historia comenzó bien, durante la primera mitad del libro realmente estaba intrigada y con cada capítulo que finalizaba me quedaba con ganas de leer más pero para la segunda mitad, la historia perdió su esencia.Los personajes no me causaron gran impacto, excepto por Abbi y Meredith, que aunque no son perfectas, son las únicas que mejor me agradaron.La parte "psicológica" por así decirlo estuvo bien, pero el desarrollo de los acontecimientos fueron demasiado predecibles desde el principio, las acciones de cada personaje sobre todo Scott y Kate fueron de lo peor.

This book is really good- the story is so intense that you just keep reading to find out what happens next.Was not expecting the end and it really surprised me. Did not want the book to finish :)All the books I have read so far from Lucinda Berry this one is the best!