With the availability of DNA testing to find out about your ancestors, what would you do if you were contacted with news that one of your family members was wanted for multiple homicides? This book opens up the possibility for the unknown when it comes to something like that. It’s different, but good different. While I couldn’t relate to the characters and it got to the point where they were repetitive, I loved the story line and would recommend this book to anybody wanting to read something that’s unlike anything they’ve read before.

Usually dual timelines aren't my thing, but this one works! I felt like the authors did well to have the killer's motivation make sense.

The Family Tree was a quick, but insightful read. If you want to look into the mind of a fictional killer that Criminal Minds has been preparing you for, look no farther.






I didn't like the epilogue, though.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper 360, Avon for the arc of this book. The story was great! I never really gave DNA tests a thought so the idea that someone could find a related serial killer was fascinating. I thought there were too many scenes of the serial killer and his victims. It felt repetitive and it got to be too much. The interesting part was Lizzie's story and how she navigated meeting her new relations.
I didn't like Lizzie, though. When the FBI tells you something in confidence, why would you go blab about it? When they warn you who thy suspect of being the killer, why would you continue to visit them? I won't give spoilers, but she made other poor choices.too.
The end was a letdown and I think there was an missed opportunity to throw a huge twist. But the book was readable and felt original.

Have you taken a DNA test? I just did and, so far, no skeletons have popped out of my family tree. Although none of my relatives (that I know of) have taken it. I was born before DNA was around, so I might eventually find some type of scandal, lol.

BOOK BLURB:
The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

A gripping, original thriller for fans of My Lovely Wife, Netflix’s Making a Murderer, and anyone who’s ever wondered what their family tree might be hiding…

MY THOUGHTS:
Liz and Andie are cousins and roommates, living a great life. They both have good jobs, they get along great, and share a cozy apartment. Andie gives Liz a DNA kit as a Christmas gift. As you know from the blurb, this leads to her finding out she’s adopted and connected to a serial killer. WOW!

There were times I wanted to slap Liz because her desire for answers made her do stupid things! But this was a fantastic read and I loved it. These authors do an outstanding job and I would have loved to read it in one sitting. It alternated between two POV’s…Liz’s and each set of victims. The victims were so fascinating, I couldn’t wait to get to their next chapter. This killer was a monster!

And that twisted ending was the BEST!! This would make a great Netflix series. Can’t wait to get my hands on her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360/Avon. I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

After publication, my reviews can be found on Amazon, Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, Barnes and Noble, BookBub, NetGalley, and Edelweiss.

#thefamilytree #stephmullin #nicolemabry #netflix #bookstagrammer #juliereadzintherockies #harper360

Overall this was a great read. I was impressed with the character development, the spooky plot, and the descriptions. Sometimes I feel like descriptions can get mundane, but the authors did a great job at keeping the reader intriqued. I will recommend this to friends!

The Family Tree had so much potential. The novel switches from chapters, one of Liz and the other of the Tri-State Killer.

The chapters of Liz, seemed to drag and nothing interesting truly happens. She dislikes her adopted mother and father for not telling her she is adopted however, embraces her biological mother's family, who may be harboring a serial killer. Really? Moving on...

The chapters with the Tri-State Killer. I thought would be more interesting and hold my attention, however, they didn't. Again, it drags and there is no nail biting, gasping, holding of the breath excitement in any of these chapters. They just seem to be there, like the newspaper!

The Family Tree couldn't hold my attention that I had to skim to the end which was meh!

This novel was not my cup of tea!

This was a fairly fast-paced amateur sleuthing novel meets serial killer in the family tree. Liz finds out shocking news through a DNA testing kit: she’s adopted. She’s spiraling and decides to try and get in touch with her biological family. After receiving no responses through the messaging on the DNA kit site she uploads to a larger site, giving permission to law enforcement to review her results. She knows her biological mother had a criminal history and thinks it could be useful in tracking her down. What’s she’s not prepared for is the FBI to show up with claims that her DNA is linked to that of the notorious Tri-State Killer. Using alternating timelines between the TSK victims and Liz’s journey to figuring out her very crazy family history, The Family Tree very easily puts you on the track to being your own amateur sleuth and thinking you’ve got everything figured out. I was sure I was right multiple times and let me tell you, in the end I was not right even one time. The authors also do a great job with Liz’s character using the mix of emotions from her crazy discoveries through the jumble of anger, frustration, hurt, love, excitement to tell her story. I was alternately frustrated with her behavior and totally on board. Like yes, stop being so dramatic, but also give me all the drama. Great read for fans of serial killer novels, true crime, suspense, red herrings, and anything thriller related.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a timely read and gave me a few more reasons why to never do an ancestry DNA test!!!

Liz takes a DNA ancestry test when her cousin Andie gifts her one for Christmas. Expecting to confirm her Italian roots, Liz is shocked when not only does she have almost no ties to Europe but also no familial connection to Andie at all. As she tries to connect with her biological family and come to terms with the fact that she was adopted, Liz is confronted with something even more upsetting - her DNA has shown a familial match to a decades-rampant serial killer. Desperate to learn about who she is, Liz takes matters into her own hands to find the killer in her family tree.

While not overly unpredictable, this book was tough to put down! I loved the format - alternating between the Tri-State Killer’s victims each year to show his methods with Liz’s present day investigation into the killer and her biological family.

I thought the authors did a tremendous job conveying Liz’s emotions. I can’t imagine the kind of emotional turmoil one would go through to find out after nearly 30 years of life that you were adopted but the authors did an excellent job.

The epilogue was awesome and left the book open to a sequel which could be fun! I did love that the authors did a good job tying up the storylines and even giving some closure to aspects of the story I didn’t expect.

If you want to read a timely and exciting thriller, this is one I absolutely recommend.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

"The Family Tree" is an exciting and intriguing story that sucks the reader in from the first page. One of the books that is so hard to stop reading for unimportant things like sleep or work. The protagonists are very well defined and characterized and leave the reader wanting to know more about them, a modern story that combines modern life and old lurking evil in a thrilling and captivating way. Very well thought through plot twists leave the reader hoping for a continuation of this book.

This was one I really wanted to like because I thought the concept was pretty cool. On the plus side I did like getting to see the victims throughout the book. I did think that was an interesting idea to add to the story. But even that got a little repetitive for me. I thought it was a little too close to everything g that went down with the Golden State Killer and the epilogue was unnecessary, in my opinion.

The Family Tree is incredibly fascinating and original . I became instantly addicted early on. Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry, have a way of pulling you right in!

How many of us were fascinated when the DNA testing kits were released? I know I eagerly jumped at the chance to find out my family history! Imagine sending in your results to find out that you are adopted ? What about if the family you never even knew you had plunged you right into the middle of a high profile FBI investigation regarding a serial killer???? Well, this is exactly what happened to Liz.

The Tri State Killer has been kidnapping women in pairs for the last 40 years. Liz needs to uncover whom in her family is the killer before he/she strikes again.

Stay tuned October 5, 2021 to find out if Liz is able to stop a killer!

I didn’t particularly like the main character, but I loved the alternating point of view of the victims telling their stories. I was hoping for a little more exciting reveal, but the ending was sort of left open ended so there could potentially be a sequel which would be interesting!

3.5/5⭐️

A very realistic read! If you enjoy true crime this is the book for you. I was kept on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded.

What would you do if you knew there was a serial killer in your bloodline?

The Family Tree was a mystery that wasn’t much of a mystery. I loved the idea of an innocuous DNA test ends up upending your world. You find out you are adopted. Then you find out you are related to a serial killer. The identity of the killer is semi-obvious with some vagueness about timelines muddying the water just a little. Without a character who completely acts in the most dangerous and stupid way, the story would not have progressed. The movement through the experience of the decades worth of victims was done skillfully, with us meeting each further and further along in their ordeal until we see the entire picture. It was brutal and difficult to read. Overall, I had trouble picking this one back up every time I put it down. The idea was worth a few stars and the execution was good, even if the characters strained belief.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper360/Avon for an eARC of The Family Tree.

MC Liz takes a 23andme test for fun. When it reveals that she's adopted, it feels like her life has gone up in flames. Then, when she finds out she's related to a serial killer that's been killing women for 40 years, she puts her investigative skills to work.

This book is one I'd describe as unputdownable. 400 pages in length - I started and finished this in the same day. The chapters fly by, and there's a bit of a fun YA feel to this one. The chapters alternate between Liz's POV and those of the notorious serial killer's victims, which I absolutely loved. I do think this book could've been a bit shorter as a lot of the internal monologue felt repetitive, but I absolutely loved the ending!

A great read for Spooktober. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to like this; the description is intriguing and sounded like an excellent one. However, the story itself is poorly executed. The writing is juvenile, the characters are insipid, and what could have been a great story was reduced to an unfortunate mess.

Thanks to Harper 360 / Avon and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

okay so I really wanted to like this one … it had such an interesting concept - what if, by submitting your DNA, you accidentally uncovered that someone in your family tree is connected to a serial killer case?

except andie is dumb as rocks. she wants to be a reporter or a detective, but makes the stupidest decisions that literally should have gotten her killed. I think I would have preferred her to feel some sort of consequence rather than give her a god complex of “whatever, I’ll be fine”

I mean, why bother listening to the police or your parents or even your best friend when they tell you not to visit your great uncle who is currently the number one suspect to be the actual tri state serial killer?

a direct line from the book: “I know I’m being stupid, but I’m going to do it anyway” like I’m sorry, but I have zero sympathy for you at that point andie.

1.5/5 stars

Mystery, thriller, and genealogy all in one fascinating story. The book is The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry. It centered around the hunt for a mass murderer with an important genealogy mystery also at the heart of the story.

I did not know what to expect but was very glad I tried it. I thank Netgalley for a chance to read this book before publication.

I found this book fascinating since I enjoy a good mystery and thriller. I also spend a good bit of time on genealogy including looking at DNA matches to try to find the connection. And my experience there added to my enjoyment,

The Family Tree centers on two cousins, Andie and Liz. The cousins are really close as girls. They remain best friends as young adults and share an apartment in Brooklyn. Andie does a 23 and Me DNA test and gives one to her cousin Liz . When Liz gets her results, she sees no relationship with Andie and contacts her parents to find out why. Liz was adopted and so has no shared DNA with either parent or with Andie.

This upsetting news leads her to look for relatives in the 23 and Me database. When she does not find any answers fast enough, she uploads her DNA results to Gedmatch which allows people who used different DNA testing companies to compare results.

She opts in to allowing law enforcement to use her results. This was her choice as she was told her birth mother had been in jail. She is contacted by the FBI since her DNA partially matched the DNA of a known criminal. She eventually learns the partial match is to the Tri-State Killer, who abducts young women and then kills them after a period of imprisonment.

In the meanwhile, Liz meets a DNA match and becomes close with a grand-uncle who may or may not be the serial killer. Liz is hoping he is not the killer but much evidence points to him. And the killer has abducted 2 young women and the race is on to save them before they are killed.

I think the mystery-thriller part is well done. The genealogy angle added motivation and interest. For me, it was a good addition as I use Gedmatch to reach out to DNA matches. I highly recommend this book to readers whether or not they have an interest in genealogy.

Good premise....but kind of overworked.

I think the idea of using genealogy for DNA tracing and crime is an interesting concept - I mean...hello Golden State Killer - but Liz - our main character - was kind of a jerk? to her adoptive parents. I just couldn't get over it.

The chapters with the victims were good but really, I could read other books and have a better reading experiences and not hate the main character.

Thanks NetGalley!

The premise of this was really interesting and I was enjoying it a lot up until the ‘reveal’ at the end. I really am not a fan of this particular trope (trying not to spoil anything) of the final resolution.