I'm sorry to say that, despite a really great description and overall idea, this was not enjoyable or well done. Every reveal was more obvious than the last, and everything is told in the present despite the entire story happening in the past. Everything is told, nothing is shown. At all. That's not fun or interesting to read. If you're writing a crime/murder mystery, we need to be inside the action, not hearing about it a decade later. What a disappointment.

This was one of the most fun books I have read in a while and I have a lot to say about it, so get ready! Right from the first page, I was ready to see where this story was going to go. The Lighthouse family is introduced, reciting all of the murder victims each family member is named after. That would hook you, too, right? It continues on this dark and sinister theme as the plot continues, and I must say that the pacing was absolutely perfect. There was not a dull moment. Reading this book felt like walking up a flight of stair, and each chapter was a step in the staircase. It was constantly building, and something was always happening.

I really want to talk about who might enjoy this book, and it's more people than you might think! Of course any fans of true crime will love this one, because it is full of the mania that has recently exploded in the genre, with the help of several podcasts and streaming documentaries. Seriously, packed full! But I also think that people who enjoy YA thrillers, those mysterious and atmospheric novels that are light on the gore and violence, because this one had the same hallmarks. Only a handful of curse words were used, and while previous murders are discussed, there isn't any violence in this one. Which I think is smart because it can reach more people that way. Lastly, this would make the perfect spooky fall read! It reminded me of Home Before Dark by Riley Sage and also the TV adaptation of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. The plot is very different from those two stories, but the spooky old house elements are all there. The August release of this one is perfectly timed to get into readers hands before spooky season.

If you can't tell yet that I loved this one, let me assure you: I loved it! Great characters that were dynamic and interacted with each other well. Dark and ominous setting and back story. A mystery that had me stumped. And not one single lull, I was engrossed in every page! If you like spooky at all, you need to read this one! Out August 17, 2021.

First, a big thank you to the publishers at Atria, especially Megan Rudloff, and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Family Plot.

The Family Plot is told strictly from Dahlia’s point of view. Raised in a strange environment, she learned about every murder case known to mankind while being homeschooled by her mother. Her sister, Tate (named for Sharon Tate), her brother Charlie (named for the Lindbergh baby), and her twin brother, Andy (named for Andrew Borden), also grew up in this unconventional home.

Dahlia (named for the Black Dahlia), returns to the island that she left 7 years previously to help lay her father to rest. Though they were never close, she goes for her brother, Andy, hoping against hope that she’ll finally see him again.

In an awful twist of fate, while Fritz, their groundskeeper, is digging up the family plot for her father, Daniel, he finds Andy’s remains instead. Called to the scene, the police begin investigating and soon, one thing leads to another. Desperate to find her brother’s killer, Dahlia begins her own investigation with the help of her friend, Greta, and soon, every lie will come undone and every truth revealed.

I loved the quick pacing of The Family Plot, along with the murder mystery. It felt very realistic to real life events, which I enjoyed because the book includes so many references to true crime murders. The ending wasn’t as shocking as I hoped, as I had honestly guessed the ending and found myself to be correct, but lovers of true crime and family drama will love The Family Plot.

Cue the drumroll..............

The Family Plot, is absolutely mind blowing! I can not tell you how much I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish.

I had already been a huge fan of Megan Collins and read her two previous novels, The Winter Sister and Behind the Red Door (both are incredible!!!!!) but The Family Plot has easily become my favorite!

Dahlia was raised off the grid on a remote island deep in the woods. Having been raised by true crime obsessed parents she has been unable to leave her past in past. Haunted by the disappearance of her twin brother, can Dahlia truly leave what she has been trying to run from?

Secrets are exposed! Twists and turns in every direction! I was completely obsessed and invested early on. This was an incredible read and I am still thinking about what just happened.

I would highly recommend this novel to my thrill seeking book lovers!

I very much enjoyed the Family Plot by Megan Collins. I had previously read the Winter Sister and I believe that Collins has her own style - unlike other "fast paced thrillers", this book unravels at a great pace - and even the more unbelievable aspects are put into a great perspective. As this family comes together to mourn a death, they finally have the opportunity to pick apart their unusual upbringing and expose so many lies and secrets. I really like how Collins handles family drama - you feel the tension but it feels so realistic. I'll definitely be ok the lookout for more books from Collins. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC in advance!

It's my day to read books about serial killers. This one has a twisted, warped plot. Four kids are reared by their parents, isolated, and Imbued with stories of murders, while there is a serial killer on their own island. As the story progresses, more outrageous truths are revealed. I suspected a few of them, but was surprised at the turn of events at the end. I didn't like any of the characters. The parents were demented and all the kids were inhibited in their own way. But if you're looking for a creepy, spooky read, pick this one up.

"The only way out is to never come back."

Dahlia Lighthouse's family is obsessed with crime - specifically, murder. Dahlia and her three siblings (each named for well-known murder victims like the Black Dahlia and the Lindbergh baby) grew up in a homeschool environment where their curriculum emphasized murder cases, especially the local murders being committed in their town by an uncaught serial killer dubbed "The Blackburn Killer."

"She believed that if we witnessed the horrors that others had experienced, we’d recognize the same danger if it ever came our way."

Now grown, Dahlia and her siblings have returned to their childhood home, following their father's recent death. When it comes time to bury dear-ol'-Dad, the Lighthouses are horrified to discover the gruesome remains of Dahlia's twin brother, Andy, who was believed to be a runaway, 10 years ago. As the police begin to investigate Andy's death and try to identify his murderer, Dahlia begins to suspect that they might also be on the path toward uncovering the identity of the Blackburn Killer.

"To bury Andy in our family plot, the killer would have had to know, first, that the plot was there at all."

The Family Plot was incredibly creepy and atmospheric, and kept me guessing for so many chapters about who the possible killer could be! I don't get scared easily, but this was definitely a "read-it-with-the-lights-on" book, so if you want something genuinely unsettling, look no further.

"If we’re as murderous as you think, who knows what we might do?"

The "murder mansion" where Dahlia and her siblings grew up seemed terrifying, and clearly left psychological wounds on all of the children. That part made me really sad for them, and the overwhelming sadness & empathy took me out of the scariness a bit.

"People we’ve known our whole lives can still hurt us. Some might argue they can hurt us more."

Without giving away any spoilers, there was also something about the "big reveal" that had some very traumatic implications for young children in the story. Similar to the ending of Hairpin Bridge, I just can't deal with books that use children's traumas for the sake of shock value. So I took a star off of my rating for that. YMMV.

"I don’t deserve anyone’s love, not after what I’ve done."

——

Thank you to Megan Collins, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was the perfect book to get me out of a reading rut. I was hooked from the beginning by the true crime elements and the complicated family dynamics. What a dark and disturbing family portrait!

I never before understood when someone described reading a book leaving them feeling claustrophobic, but now I do. The longer I buried myself in this story, the more the walls felt like they were closing in on me, until I, like the main character, felt my world shrinking. Dahlia was raised in a home with a mother who was obsessed with honoring murder victims, a father who didn't know how to interact with his girl children, two older siblings who had a bond with each other, and her own twin with whom she had a strong bond also. All the kids knew their family wasn't normal, and were just waiting around until their 18th birthdays when they get what they referred to as their "leaving money" and could hightail it out of there. Except Dahlia's twin brother left on his 16th birthday without looking back and no further communication. Years later, after still no communication from her twin brother, Dahlia returns home when her father passes - and so many secrets and lies are discovered.

A strong psychological thriller from one of my new favorite authors. I have only read one of her previous books, but I am going to go back and pick up the other. Megan Collins knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing through the whole story. This was very creepy, but not in too graphic of a way. Perfect read!

wow , what a book. this was a great book to get me out of the slump I was in. this follows siblings Dahlia, Tate, and Charlie (told in Dahlia’s pov) growing up they were taught all about serial killers and their victims. They are even named after them. Their family was obsessed. One day the dad passes away and when they go to bury the dad somebody else was buried in their family plot 😳

Dun dun dun…

Like I said this was a great book to read if you are in a slump or need something fast. The plot (he he) was predictable but it was still fun to figure whodunnit. I also have a reading vlog on this if you want to hear further thoughts

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the arc of The Family Plot by Megan Collins in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this one had me hooked, I wish I could say it lived up to my expectations.

The Family Plot is a story about the Lighthouse family who lives on a secluded island that is known for a serial killer who attacks women. The family lives in what the locals call “Murder Mansion”. You have mom & dad, who meet after mom’s parents are brutally murdered and she moves back to the family island. The two oldest kids, Charlie, then Tate. And then years later twins Andy & Dahlia. If you know any true crime those names should be familiar. The kids are all names after brutally killed victims. The mom homeschools the kids and keeps them very isolated, to protect them, by teaching them about murder and serial killers. I mean that right there is interesting…?

We follow Dahlia, who if I’m completely honest, I couldn’t stand. THAT said, when you’re never taught how to make friends, how do you learn to be kind or at least civil? I feel like some of it is common sense, but maybe I’m wrong. Anyway, Dahlia is returning to her childhood home after being gone for 10 years because her father has passed away. She’s not upset about it and seeing as her dad paid very little to no attention to her or Tate (the older sister), I can’t say I blame her.

NOW, here’s where the trouble begins. The 1st chapter is a HUGE info dump. I mean we get the family’s entire backstory in 1 chapter. It’s a lot and it seems like a missed opportunity to show rather than tell. My biggest problem was that nothing comes as a surprise. The “twists” if you can call them that, have no build, no suspense, nothing.

In the end, nothing suspenseful takes place BUT, the characters do grow-ish and that made me feel better about my time spent reading this book. I was hoping for something a little spookier. I wouldn’t call this my favorite but I do think it could have even amazing.

4.5 stars


This story had an awesomely unique plot and theme. A family in a creepy old house that is obsessed with murder's and their victims. Mostly the victims they would hold honoring so they were not forgotten. The islanders already think they are strange, but when they get mixed up in the Blackburn Killer investigation everything falls apart in this already broken family.

You could tell their were so many secrets and they all acted strange with one anther. Charlie and Tate and then Dahlia and Andy the siblings were in pairs they had such a strange relationship. you couldnt help but wonder what happened to cause this? It wasn't just age.

I couldn't put this down, the secrets and pressure kept coming. It kept me guessing and so curious and when the secrets relied woahhh I loved it. Dahlia became obsessed with finding out who the Blackburn killer and what happened to her brother Andy. The creepiness and the atmosphere of this family made want to dig in more. i love that I wasn't able to guess who the killer was and everyone seemed to have something to hide but Dahlia.


Thank you to Atria Book and Netgalley for my copy for honest review.

It was interesting to read about this totally dysfunctional family. The plot was clever and there were a few surprises along the way. The characterization was unique and I wanted to know more about each family member.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was twisty page-turner that I could not put down. The premise is fascinating, but I found the “big twists” to be somewhat predictable. I did very much enjoy this book though, and will recommend it to others seeking an entertaining thriller in the future!

🍷🍷🍷🍷/5
The Family Plot by Megan Collins

A character drama wrapped in murder and mystery. Dahlia Lighthouse did not have a normal childhood. Marked by the deaths of her parents, her mother raised her and her siblings, including her twin brother, Andrew, in what she thought was a cocoon of safety and knowledge, teaching them about victims and their killers as if the world was populated only by these ghosts. But when Dahlia’s brother ran away, she learned the world was bigger and crueler than she’d been taught. Now she returns to her family home, her father recently dead, and watches what’s left of them fall apart.

I was riveted and revolted by Dahlia’s world and her pain. The tangled web she tried to escape, but couldn’t leave. The family dynamics are twisted and isolating, but also a bond none of them could deny. The story flows easily and revelations come hard and fast. Really un-put-down-able.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free copy. These opinions are my own.

Oh, dear! I don’t know where to begin except to say that this book was really creepy and had me reading with the lights on and comforting music playing in the background. The story of a dysfunctional family living on an island where a serial killer lived was bad enough. But then, the author delved into the backstory of each of the creepazoids and I was feeling chills all over. The plot is about Dahlia, all grown up and still wanting to solve the mystery of her missing teen brother. Well, mystery solved right away when she returns to the island for her father’s funeral and her brother Andy is found murdered in the gravesite. Yuck! The plot was okay, the characters were a little flat for me. I wanted more character development more quickly. Everything was revealed so slowly that this book just didn’t deliver the punch that I expected. Even the ending left me a little underwhelmed. It brought things to a conclusion, but it seemed rushed and just didn’t make me feel content that I had read the book. My rating is really 2.5 stars instead of 3, but I did round it up because of the creepiness being effective. All in all, I thought that the characters lacked depth and the plot was emphasized but it plodded along from one revelation to the next without a lot of real tying everything together neatly. I wanted to know more about the characters but the emphasis was on plotting and the themes of lies, secrets and trust issues. Fans of suspense thrillers may enjoy this slow burning book, but it was not my favorite because I just wanted more.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive book. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

What a family! This book kept me engaged and turning pages so quickly!

I got about 75% done and then it headed off ona weird tangent. I didn't like the end at all. I was left wanting more for the relationship between Dahlia and the sheriff.

I love a good dysfunctional family and this one definitely hit all of the marks.

The family in this book has a macabre connection and obsession with true crime that forms their identity as a unit. In the area they live in, there is a serial killer that is preying on young women. They are the odd ones out in the community they live in, but this is just their normal life until Dahlia's twin brother disappears. When she returns home for her father's funeral, this is the first time she has seen her family since then. Her twin's body is found in the plot where the father is going to be buried. I really liked the dark nature of the plot and how it ties into the lives of the family members, but found the book just really struggled to get anywhere with the plot. It seemed that it just went person to person and made them look guilty, cleared them, and on to the next one. I think that this lacked originality and just seemed to make the book drag. The creepy characters of Ruby and Fritz just seemed to really be lacking any depth and just seemed flat. This made them just seem generic. I finished the book barely, but will not be recommending this one to others. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

God this was terrible. I do not see what the point of it was and I can’t believe it got as many stars as it did. I felt like it was morbid and had no plot or drive. The characters were not compelling or interesting and the whole thing was just weird. I just do not see how this was worthy of publishing.