I had high hopes for this one. A family that is obsessed with true crime? Sign me in!!! I want to be part of this family!

The story overall was good, but a little slower than what I usually enjoy. Overall, good thriller

THE FAMILY PLOT renewed my love for Collins' writing. In this suspenseful and dark psychological thriller, the characters came alive as the mystery of what happened to Dahlia's brother unravels. The creepiness and level of twists thrown in make this one compulsive read. I have to say, the author did a superb job of crafting a fresh and eerie tale with this one.

Author Megan Collins aptly describes The Family Plot as "strange, creepy, and haunting." The setting is a fictional island off the coast of Rhode Island on which sits the Lighthouse family home. It has long been dubbed the "Murder Mansion" by locals. Collins says she set the story on a small, remote island with a rocky shore in order to "amplify the sense of isolation the now-adult Lighthouse children feel as a result of their upbringing."

Each of the four Lighthouse children was named for a famous murder victim. Their mother homeschooled them but their curriculum was anything but traditional. Her lesson plans included detailed studies of famous killings and killers, murder reports composed by the children, and special commemorative ceremonies on the anniversaries of the crimes. In the first-person narrative Collins employs to relate the tale, Dahlia recalls that their mother "crowded our walls with her murdered parents." Their mother told her children that she moved to the island at the age of twenty-one after her parents were killed in their Connecticut estate during a home invasion. She met Daniel Lighthouse on the island and their marriage endured because he "indulged her eccentricities, encouraged them even, and did not protest as she turned the mansion into something like a mausoleum." Growing up, the Lighthouse children were shunned by their peers, so they only had each other for company and as playmates.

As the story opens, the three grown Lighthouse children make their way back to the island when they learn their father has died. Charlie, the eldest, is an actor. He's also an alcoholic with a dark view of the world and bitingly morbid sense of humor. Tate is an artist who uses Instagram to showcase her intricately-crafted dioramas of crime scenes. More particularly, the scenes of killings that have taken place on the island. Over the course of two decades, seven young women have been murdered on the island and the cases remain unsolved. The killer hasn't struck for ten years, but the islanders still dead bolt their doors. Charlie and Tate have a strong bond that Dahlia characterizes as "codependent."

Dahlia has spent the last decade searching for Andy, her twin, who ran away from home when they were sixteen years old. She explains that each of the four siblings had reasons for never returning to the island. Charlie claimed he had to be in the city in case he landed a role and without him, Tate would not return. Dahlia left when she was nineteen years old, finally accepting Andy's declaration in the handwritten note he purportedly left that he was never coming back. She saw no reason to attempt to get close to her other family members. Their mother was absorbed in reenacting the murders she made the children study, and their father paid no attention to her. Charlie and Tate were "a unit," and it was Andy who made Dahlia feel "valued, complete." But. Andy "left without telling me why, without even saying goodbye, and I've had to live all these years in the not knowing, which is a lonely, comfortless place," she relates. She knew that Andy had troubles she didn't understand -- he used to go into the woods with an ax and cut tress down in order to control his anger and frustration. He told her he thought their family lived an "unnatural" life, but was that reason enough to abandon her and the rest of the family? She's holding out hope that wherever he is, Andy will learn of their father's death and return.

But Dahlia's hopes are dashed when Fritz, the family's long-time, faithful groundskeeper, announces that when he was opening the grave within the family plot in which Daniel was to be buried, he made a shocking discovery. "Somebody's already buried in Mr. Lighthouse's plot. And I think it's Andy." Soon detectives arrive to investigate, pending identification of the remains. It seems that the body was buried with an ax belonging to Andy and there are fractures on the skull consistent with the blade of that particular ax. The body is positively identified as Andy.

The Family Plot explores the disturbing killing of Andy Lighthouse, whose body has been buried right there on the island in the family plot for a decade, unbeknownst to the family members. Or did one of them know exactly where he was? Who killed Andy? And why?

Collins compassionately portrays how Andy's death impacts Dahlia who, by her own admission, has dedicated her life to finding him. It was her only dream, "so now what do I do?" she ponders. Andy had wanted the two of them to run away when they were thirteen, but Dahlia resisted. Now, knowing she has spent ten years believing that "his heart [was] still beating in sync with" hers is almost too much for her to bear. "I always thought that, if he died, I'd feel it, like a coffin snapping shut on my own body. But all this time, I've been breathing just fine; all this time, I've been wrong."

Collins depicts, from Dahlias perspective, how each of the family members reacts to the news of Andy's death. Ever the actor, Charlies decides the home will become a memorial museum, open for public viewing. In preparation, Tate feverishly begins work on another diorama -- her own brother's murder scene. Their mother begins behaving uncharacteristically maternal and domestic, obsessively baking cookies. Dahlia is determined to learn what happened to Andy and, in the process, makes a number of disturbing discoveries.

Collins says she most enjoyed bringing the flamboyant Charlie to life, but took great care with her depiction of Dahlia. "She’s going through so much over the course of the novel —- mourning her brother, investigating his murder, navigating her dysfunctional family -— so I wanted to make sure I did justice to her journey and balanced all of its different components in a way that would push her toward growth." Collins succeeds at making Dahlia relatable and empathetic, despite the fact that she is surrounded by eccentric and, in some cases, sinister characters and the story itself is exceedingly dark and quirky. The tale proceeds forward at a steady pace with the revelation of shocking details bringing into question her characters' motivations and what additional secrets they may be hiding. Collins cleverly makes several of them possible suspects both in Andy's murder, as well as the killings of the seven young women. The island itself and, more particularly, the Murder Mansion serve as inanimate characters in the broodingly atmospheric story.

The Family Plot is an inventive and clever look at the relationships between the siblings, as well as with their parents. It is an insightful examination of long-held family secrets and the inherent danger in assumptions, as well as the cost of escaping familial bonds. Collins delivers a jaw-dropping, explosive conclusion that answers all of readers' questions. But at its core, The Family Plot is a character study -- a searing exploration of a thoroughly dysfunctional family. And how the surviving members discover the truth and, ultimately, reconcile themselves to it in order to escape the past and move on with their lives.

Dark and twisty for sure. I didn't love it but it was still a compelling and enjoyable read with twists I didn't see coming.

This one has potential for me it was creepy and tense but fell flat in the end. I think the predictability is what turned me off but something didn’t really work for me
Overall.

I wanted to love this story based on the premise, but the idea and the execution were... not on the same level. It's a good story but it was a lot of "tell" and not a lot of "show"

From characters named after murder victims to an eerie, isolated setting - it doesn't get more isolated than an island, right? – The Family Plot by Megan Collins is penned with killer precision. This is my second novel by Ms. Collins and I loved Behind the Red Door this novel was no different. The Lighthouse family knows everything there is to know about murderers and serial killers. They were home-schooled by their mom. She had been obsessed with true crime since her parents were murdered. Hence her children are named after murdered famous people. They are proficient in how murders occurred as well as placement of the murder victim’s body. Can you imagine that being the home school that you are accustomed to? Being a true-crime lover it would be cool and a bit twisted, and I think that is what drew me to this book.
Dahlia Lighthouse knew her family was different and did not fit in. How many families have the sheriff of the community constantly in their backyard with a flashlight? But the children stuck together until they were of the age to be able to leave the island. Then they moved away. Except when Dahlia left, she had to leave alone. Dahlia had a twin, Andy who had promised they would leave together. But on their sixteenth birthday, Andy disappeared, leaving a note. Dahlia was heartbroken that he left without her. So when Dahlia was able to leave the island, she spent all her time and energy trying to find out where her brother had gone and why he left without her. The death of their father brings everyone back but Andy why? What we find is that in the plot where their father is supposed to go we find the body of sixteen-year-old Andy. The story that unfolds after the body is found is one I think you should as the reader journey on your own. What I can say is that it is as spooky and as unexpected as you think and it is worth every page turn. After reading the arc I not only bought the ebook for a friend but have the audiobook for myself considering this was a book I will read again when Ms. Collins brings out her next book.

If there was ever a fiction book written just for me, this would be it! Long time reader of true crime, I knew of every one of the murderer/victims mentioned in this book!

Dahlia Lighthouse (named after The Black Dahlia) grew up in a secluded home, raised by her true-crime loving parents. They were so obsessed that their children were even given names of murder victims. The family would hold memorials on the death anniversaries of the victims. The children learned to read and write by reading true crime reports and books.

Their family has their own mystery, when Dahlia’s brother Andy disappeared when she was 16. Dahlia felt that he had deserted her and left her to cope with her family alone.

Dahlia is now twenty-six years old and is returning home (Murder Mansion as it was called by the locals) after the death of her father. There, along with her mother and her other brother Charlie and her sister, Tate, discover long buried secrets.

The whole murder mystery part of it is pretty standard, but what set this book apart for me was the true crime obsessed twist.

TW: women deaths, parent death, sibling murder,

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.
Release Date:August 17th, 2021
Genre:Thriller
Pages:320
Rating: ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
• I liked the plot of the story
• I like that the kids are named after victims

What I Didn't Like:
• The kids are so annoying
• 82 uses of Andy's ax (used WAY too many times)

Overall Thoughts: I know that grief is different for everyone but I find it really weird how this family is reacting to their brother being found in a grave and apparently from murder. They are all going along like this is the most normal thing to happen. It is indeed not normal. Not only do they find their murdered missing sibling after years but they are also burying their father.

The kids are all annoying. I found them whiny and weird. Maybe that's the point the author was trying to say since they are all shut ins and obsessed with serial killers. It felt like a contradiction of itself as they are named after the victims, but they pretty much study the killers and almost out them on a pedestal.

I just didn't care for the writing in this book. The story was very straight forward thriller that ended how you think it will end. Setting up the dad to be the killer wasn't good. They always have the towns people looking at them and a cop snooping around but the dad can just sneak out and take his kids with him to help kill. It makes no sense.

Final Thoughts: There are better thrillers out there.

This story was just okay. I didn't really connect with most of the characters and I found myself getting bored and the story progressed. I am very thankful to have received an advance reader's copy but this one wasn't anything special or anything I haven't already read before.

Dahlia and her siblings return to their childhood home after their father’s death. Dahlia has never recovered from the disappearance of her twin brother when they were sixteen. Soon after their arrival back home, the mystery of their brother’s disappearance starts to unravel.

The Family Plot has an eccentric family at the center of a murder mystery. The kids had a unique upbringing with parents obsessed with serial killers. Their unusual childhood created adults haunted by their pasts. Once back together, they have to face what happened in the past, and move forward with their futures.

An atmospheric and twisted mystery. Good read for fans of true crime and suspenseful mysteries.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Collins has a gift for slow burn thrillers. Its a great style but I dont know of its for everyone. If you love atmospheric thrillers that can be easily figured out, then you’ll love this novel

The Family Plot by Megan Collins, 320 pages. Atria Books (Simon & Schuster), 2021. $27.
Language: R (43 swears, 33 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Dahlia hasn’t been home in seven years, and she hasn’t seen her twin brother, Andy, in ten – since he ran away on their sixteenth birthday. Gathering with her siblings and mother because of the death of her father just reminds Dahlia of how distant they all are. Her father’s death has started an avalanche of secrets, and Dahlia will not stop until she learns the truth.
Dahlia’s story is raw, with pain seeping through the pages. As a reader, the twists and turns kept me on my toes in an enjoyably suspenseful way. However, stepping back, I ached for Dahlia and her family, and I felt a kinship because of my own broken family – even as I also felt relief that my broken family isn’t quite as broken as Dahlia’s. The mature content rating is for innuendo and mention of rape; the violence rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, and discussions of murder and gore.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Megan Collins captivated me as a reader from her debut novel, "The Winter Sister." I was so excited to start reading her newest!

The Family Plot definitely had a unique storyline--which I always appreciate because sometimes I feel like thrilers start to sound the same

At times this one did feel a little slower, but it all made sense as part of the buildup. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

The Family Plot was such an interesting read! The Lighthouses are not your typical family. The children were homeschooled and their home is isolated, so the children don't know much about the real world, except for murderers. Their mother teaches them all about well known murder cases and they honor the murder victims on their death dates. So when the family patriarch passes away, Dahlia and her two older siblings must return to their family home and face all their old demons, like the disappearance of Dahlia's twin brother so many years ago.
I really loved this story and all if it's claustrophobic, creepy house vibes.
Thank you so much to Atria Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This book had an interesting premise, but the execution of the story wasn’t done well. Really unlikeable characters combined with a boring start to the story, I just couldn’t get into this odd, creepy story.

Dahlia Lighthouse’s upbringing was far from typical, and even as a 26-year-old woman she is still grappling with it. The Lighthouse family resides in a secluded mansion on an island with a sinister history. Over the past couple of decades, women have washed ashore the rocky beaches of Blackburn Island in ice blue dresses, each death attributed to the small island’s namesake murderer, the Blackburn Killer. Dahlia’s parents kept her and their three other children isolated from the small community while educating them with a very unusual homeschool curriculum - true crime. The dark subject of the Lighthouses’ education made the other islander’s suspicious of the family sparking the rumor that they lived in “Murder Mansion” and practiced satanic rituals.
However, the darkest part of the Lighthouse family’s story was what haunted Dahlia the most, the disappearance of her twin brother Andy just before their 16th birthday. Andy had always said their family was unnatural, and when he disappeared Dahlia was left reeling. Ten years later, the three remaining Lighthouse children finally return to Blackburn after their father’s death only to have events take an even darker turn. When their father’s grave in the family plot is being dug, it is discovered that a body is already buried there. The entire family is shocked to learn that it was Andy and he had been murdered ten years ago.
A haunting and gruesome story, The Family Plot by Megan Collins is filled with suspense and shocking discoveries. It will immerse you in the eerie atmosphere of Blackburn Island as Dahlia uncovers the truth behind her family’s past and the death of her twin.

Long, boring and unrealistic. Nothing happens for 2/3 of the book, then in the end everyone knew the killer, no one was suffering anymore, they were just pretending and hiding the secret.

I really enjoyed this one! I was intrigued within the first chapter and it kept my attention throughout the whole story. I enjoyed all the family secrets and the haunted house aspect. I thought the twists were good, if not a little predictable, but enjoyed them regardless.

This book teeters right on the edge of thriller and horror, without every really crossing the line into that full on horror section - which is good! It works here, along with the unique plot.
The setting is eerie and dark, making a great read for the month of October!