Unfortunately I am DNFing this at 22%. The story isn’t really capturing my attention and other reviews have mentioned it’s perfect for beginner thriller readers, which I am not.

Maybe I will come back to it at some point but it’s not for me right now.

Step inside the grandeur of a stately mansion, where dark secrets lurk in every shadow and familial bonds are intertwined with treachery. Megan Collins weaves a mesmerizing tale in "The Family Plot," a gripping novel that unravels the mysteries of a troubled lineage amidst the opulence of their ancestral home.

As you enter the sprawling mansion, Collins introduces you to a cast of characters as diverse as the rooms that echo with their whispers. The family's history is etched into the walls, the air thick with unanswered questions and a sense of impending doom. Each family member guards their own secrets, their pasts intertwined like the intricate patterns of the ancestral tapestries.

The atmosphere is palpable, the mansion itself a character, with its creaking floorboards and hidden passageways that beckon you to explore. Collins' vivid descriptions bring the setting to life, immersing you in the labyrinthine halls, the shadowy corners, and the sunlit gardens, each revealing a new piece of the puzzle.

At the heart of "The Family Plot" is a gripping mystery, a puzzle that demands to be solved. Collins expertly crafts a web of deception, with each revelation peeling back another layer of the family's troubled history. From long-lost relatives to buried secrets, the narrative takes unexpected twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

The characters in this family drama are complex, their relationships filled with tension and suspicion. As the layers of their personalities are unveiled, you discover the interplay of love, betrayal, and hidden motives that have shaped their lives. Each member of the family carries their own burden, their own dark secrets, and Collins deftly explores the intricate dynamics that bind them together and tear them apart.

The prose in "The Family Plot" is evocative and atmospheric, conjuring images of candlelit rooms and hushed conversations. Collins' writing style mirrors the mansion itself, elegant yet haunting, drawing you deeper into the family's labyrinth of mysteries. Her attention to detail and ability to evoke emotions through her words create an immersive experience, where you become an active participant in the unraveling of the family's secrets.

Within the pages of "The Family Plot," Megan Collins masterfully combines elements of suspense, family drama, and gothic mystery. The intricate plot and well-drawn characters will keep you guessing until the final revelation, when the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place.

If you have a penchant for family mysteries within the confines of a grand mansion, "The Family Plot" is a must-read. Megan Collins' tale of secrets and betrayal will transport you to a world where the ties that bind can be as dangerous as they are enduring. Prepare to be captivated, enthralled, and ultimately haunted by the chilling story that unfolds within these walls.

I wasn't a fan of this one. I felt the plot really stalled in the middle of the book and the last third was blah. Maybe having other points of view would have helped, but this one was just underwhelming to me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Atria , and Megan Collins for this ARC . A great idea for a story, honoring murder victims…this book didn’t get into the depths of the murder cases but it did just enough to inform you, and let you enter into the premise of them… I honestly can say that it was a good read even though I didn’t really feel for the characters, especially the mother.. I think for me they were all over the place.. this book had me going back and forth of the who done it aspect, which I enjoy , not really knowing who the murderer was..it’s not often I can say that, so that was a positive aspect of the story for me. So in my opinion, this was. 3 1/2 stars but rounded off to a 4, so not so bad a rating.

This book centers around a family that is obsessed with true crime. And I mean OBSESSED--the 4 kids were all homeschooled by their mom, who taught them the required math, science, etc, but also added in plenty of time for teaching them about crimes. Instead of book reports, these kids wrote reports on true crime stories. Their mother even did reenactments of murders for them...is anyone else really conflicted about the idea of that??? This story is chock full of intrigue, suspense, and neverending family drama. Oh yeah, and murder--there's a lot of that too. I had so much fun trying to figure out the answers to the many questions that are presented in this book. The story might be insane in some ways--but that is what makes it so unique and addictive. I advise against starting this one late at night because you'll end up losing sleep trying to get to the end to find out #whodunnit.

I thought this book was pretty good! Everyone was a suspect. It did have a couple twists, nothing crazy, but not predicable (IMO). Lots of family drama and secrets/lies. It had a very creepy element to it.

2.5 stars.

Full disclosure: I read this just to get through all of my books on NetGalley.

Very interesting premise, but the story fell flat. The characters very one dimensional. The story did keep me guessing, but that was mostly because it was all over the place! It was a little too odd for my taste.

Well I have to say this book isn’t what I expected, but I really enjoyed it. There are so many surprises all through out the book. It is a book that I would recommend to everyone that likes thrills and chills and bumps in the night. Thanks for the great book!

One of my favorite authors!! Sooo good! One of my faves to read! Definitely would recommend picking this one up if you see it in the store

Rounding up from 2.5 ⭐️

I just don't think dysfunctional family + thriller stories are for me. Entitled grown up children and so difficult to read. I could not connect with anything going on and Dahlia was a difficult MC. Maybe The Family Plot needed an alternating POV to help the development? Also, the "twists" were revealed but didn't shock me and maybe a little too early? All I know is this wasn't a book I wanted to pick up.

I'm cracking up that Dahlia's solution for Charlie is therapy. hahahahhahahaha okkkkkkkkk 🤪🤪🤪

The Family Plot is the first book I have read by Megan Collins, but it will definitely not be my last. In their own words, the family in the book is unnatural and they are definitely not wrong. The whole family is obsessed with serial killers and the people on the island where they live have named their house the murder mansion. All the children who are now adults return home when their father dies. When they go to bury their father, the body of their missing brother is found in the plot intended for their father. What begins is an intriguing, page-turning suspense filled book that kept me guessing until the end. The characters are so eccentric and the story is very unique. My only complaint would be the same one I have with a lot of suspense thrillers and that is there was more language than I would prefer. In my opinion, the language is so unnecessary and it keeps me from recommending it to friends of mine who would otherwise love this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I was looking forward to this one because I loved the premise but the execution fell completely flat. It felt like I kept waiting with bated breath for something... anything... to happen! The ending really made you suspend belief.

This was a great thriller with lots of unpredictable twists and unreliable characters. Megan Collins has become a new favorite author of mine and can’t wait to read more of her books!

A decent thriller with some unexpected twists and turns, but certain parts of the story come off as expected. It was a quick page turner and a good thriller to get a taste of the genre.

The author's got a beautiful writing style, but the story is too predictable and not engaging. I can't connect to the main character. It's just not my cup of tea.

I am such a sucker for a good thriller, and I thought this latest from Megan Collins was going to be a hit. The premise of the book was pretty unique, but I feel the execution was less than par. The whole remote island living Lighthouse family just seemed out of touch and I think because of their odd nature, that’s what made the book not so brilliant.

I really enjoy this author's writing style. It was an easy, quick read for me. Would definitely recommend adding to your TBR.

Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books for a copy of The Family Plot in exchange for an honest review. This review, and reading this book, is sooo overdue - But I’m so happy I finally got to this one. This is my first Megan Collins book and certainly won’t be my last. The storyline is so unique and captivating (loved the audio on this one, too).

26 year old Delilah Lighthouse was raised in a secluded island mansion, isolated by her true-crime obsessed parents. She returns home to bury her father, still haunted by the disappearance of her twin brother, Andy, 10 years prior.

At this time, the family makes a gruesome discovery - Andy is buried in the family plot, where her father should be going. Delilah immediately blames Andy’s murder on the serial killer who kept the island on their toes for decades on end. Her family is acting strangely. Who is the famous serial killer? And did they kill Andy?

I loved the dual mysteries here - Not only who killed Andy, but who is the Blackburn killer. Very atmospheric on the island, a perfect read for spooky season - But really any time of year. I was constantly changing my theory and still didn’t get it right! Wowza.

This was my first Megan Collins book and I was really hooked from the beginning. I read this one in 2 days because I couldn’t put it down.