Finn and Mia have outbid his parents Dave and Debbie on the purchase of a Victorian five bedroom house standing alone but relatively near the local village. The house has been empty for forty years and the once pristine garden is now surrounded by tall weeds, self-setting bushes and wild flowers. The property itself needs lots of work doing to it and the couple intend to complete most of the work together. Dave is a builder and has lots of contacts should Finn need help. Mia and Finn have been trying to start a family and with all the excitement of the house purchase she is surprised to discover she is unexpectedly pregnant.
Time goes by with Dave helping Finn when he can. The house is taking shape and they will soon be able to move in before the baby is born. Then one day they inspect the attic and find some very pricey suitcases. Dave and Finn decide to look inside. Meanwhile Mia finds a curious child-like message etched into a bedroom skirting board. It reads ‘I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC’. Mia is shocked and climbs up the ladder to pop her head inside, impatient to see what is inside. She soon wishes she had not seen what was there, for inside each case is the body of a young child. Mia is haunted by the tiny bodies and tumbles down the ladder and hurts herself badly. An ambulance is called and when she wakes up in her hospital bed her child has been born. They name him Sonny. It is a miracle they both survived the fall and Mia is severely wounded.
Meanwhile Finn and Mia are still living in his parents annex with baby Sonny. Debbie is a Godsend if truth be told and suddenly Mia and Debbie’s relationship changes from very bad to good. Debbie is keen to help and is wonderful with Sonny. Mia cannot do much because of her injuries and sadly has trouble bonding with her baby. She has post-natal blues and becomes obsessed with the babes in the attic. The police investigation is ongoing and work on their new home is impossible. With time on her hands she starts an investigation of her own, looking at old newspaper articles. YouTube and even a crime writer’s take on what happened to the lost children.
I knew from the Prologue that this novel was going to be dark, twisted and chilling. An anonymous narrator hints at their evil baiting act for the murderer. However I was unready for exactly how gruesome the story would become. The story is well told and the set of envisaged characters eclectic and skilfully nurtured. There are the really good and the terrifically monstrous. The murderer is convinced that the manner of the deaths was driven by saving the children from neglectful or evil parents, therefore morally good. However my take on that point is that the predator is unhinged, lustful and totally abhorrent. I did find some parts of the narrative confusing – jumping from one time to another. More than once I had to check back who was actually narrating the story. There were plenty of red herrings and blind alleyways, tension and mystery. The family were definitely dysfunctional; there were unreliable narrators, and disturbing news from the cold case investigators. The ending was catastrophic, unexpected and deeply horrific.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Thomas & Mercer through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an exciting read and it’s a 3.5* review from me for the reasons I have given.

3.5 dark and chilling stars

This book will keep you up at night! Filled with a sinister house, suitcases, and lies – I found myself wondering just what I had gotten myself into with this one!

Mia and Finn have embarked on rehabbing a home until several unsettling things are discovered. It turns out that the house has horrible secrets. As a surprise baby adds to the mix, things are on shaky ground with Mia and Finn.

Will the truth be discovered about the house and the suitcases? I wanted to scream at Mia to take the baby and run very far away!

This author does a terrific job with surprise twists, and I was wrong on several points. This one has a rarity too, an excellent epilogue! This family drama was well paced and creepy.

John Marrs' psychological thrillers are one of my favourite things to read - this man's mind is a dark and fascinating place to be.
Keep it in the family ensured I was up till past midnight two nights in a row as i just couldnt wait to find out if my theories were right. Its dark, disturbing, and packed full of secrets and lies.
One thing I love about Marrs is that he isn't afraid to shock.

Mia and Finn Hunter are the new owners of a run down property, they begin to renovate as they find out they’re pregnant with their first child. But their happiness is short lived as they discover bodies in the garden and in the attic! The pace is fast and intense, it’s a crazy story! Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a gifted copy.

Dark, fantastic novel that I absolutely could not put down. Married couple Mia and Finn are busy rehabbing their new home when they learn they are expecting a baby. This news combined with a horrific discovery in the attic of their new home throws the couple into a tailspin. As the couple learns of the scope of the crimes committed in their new home, they take refuge at Finns parents house, much to Mia’s chagrin. But living with her in-laws may be just as dark as living in their own house which has become a crime scene. I have read all of Marr’s previous novels and this one was excellent just as all the rest have been.

Finn and Mia purchase a run down house for a steal and get busy fixing it up. What they find hidden behind the walls is unspeakable, and it all isn't confined to the house. Keep it in the Family was quite disturbing, but oh so fantastic! Just when you get to what you think is the end, I can practically hear Mr. Marrs yelling "but wait, there's more!". And boy is there ever! You've been warned!

Excellent read. John Marrs does not miss a beat in this twisty turny thriller with surprises around every corner. I highly recommend this book.

I completely adore John Marrs book but I couldn't love this one as much as usual. It kind of bored me unfortunately and all I wanted to do was skipped to the end, The characters for me were not very likeable and I didn't really care for any of them. I felt like this was the same formula he uses in all his books and Im gutted I have to even write this

This may be predictable but it’s another John Marrs book that gets a five star rating from me.

I can’t read one of his books and not rate it this because with every new book he continues to exceed my expectations.

With each new book I expect a tense opening chapter that throws you many questions which you want immediately answered, but, of course it’s this which pulls you into the story in the first place. He delivers a novel that you feel bereft and resentful when you put it down, often to carry out those mundane tasks, but you’re itching and can’t wait to pick it up which is down to those short snappy chapters that each end with another question or cliffhanger.

John Marrs novel are never predictable, because every novel is very different to the previous but it’s his ability to create new unique storylines which always pull out something new.

This novel is and will always be one of my favourites. It’s dark, it’s shocking and it’s delightful all in equal measure. I loved the depravity and shock it brings. The character gets are as always so well created you want to go on the journey with them. Again not because I’m twisted and love reading that extra level of darkness, but because he dares to go that step further and push boundaries.

Overall another fabulous novel which I’m left intrigued by how he will top it with his next… yet I know he will.

This is not usually John Marrs's style of writing. This book does not have multiple strange characters that somehow end up connected to each other lives in any sort of way. This is just as the title stated, it's regarding a family. Although, when I read it, it's obvious that the voice from the past has to be connected to the present somehow. That's the mystery. However, I did guessed who that voice from the past is. I think because I know the way Marrs write, that it makes me pay extra attention to this character; therefore, guessing it was the easy part. Even though this is not his usual style of writing, it does not in any way bad. It's definitely different. The story was still good overall, but not as floor dropping as his other books.


Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mia and Finn are turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia finds a message carved into a baseboard: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue, they discover the remains of seven children hidden away. When shards of dark truth begin to emerge, Mia realizes danger is still terrifyingly present. What will she do to protect her family... or is it already too late?

YAY:
- Multiple POVs and timelines
- Dark and gritty

NAY:
- Telling vs. showing
- Lack of voice
- Predictable twists

I've struggled all month on how to rate and review this book.

It centers around the one thing I will not read: child abduction and murder. Had its blurb made this clear, I would have steered clear. But it didn't, so I snatched up an eARC, thrilled to be among the first to read the latest from one of my favorite authors. When I realized what it was about, I would've DNFed it had it been any other author... but I can't DNF John Marrs! It was as painful to push through as I'd expected, but it wouldn't be fair to rate it one star based on personal triggers when I chose to read it regardless of them. Instead, my rating and review are objective.

I've read five of his previous books and rated them an average of 4.4—clearly, I adore his writing. However, I don't think Keep it in the Family is up to par with his other work. Whereas he's usually masterful with exposition, here we're being told what's already happened, as if they're writing in a diary: "Here's what happened last week; here are my thoughts and feelings about it; here's what I'm going to do next." I also had trouble remembering whose POV I was reading due to a lack of distinction between their voices. Most disappointing of all, I saw each of the twists coming a mile away—a far cry to literally shouting out "WHAT?!" many a time while reading his other books.

I'll continue reading everything John Marrs writes, but this book sadly missed the mark for me.

John Marrs is one of my favourite authors that I don’t even need to know what the book is about, I buy it regardless as I know I am in for a treat!
Another great storyline that has you hooked from the very start and carries you through the night without even blinking.

My track record with JM's books is mixed. I'm obsessed with his sci-fi thrillers, but his more traditional mystery/thrillers have always been a miss for me. But today, that pattern has been broken! Because there's no sci-fi element to this story, but I actually really enjoyed it!

And it wasn't necessarily the twisty nature of the story that had me hooked. The reveals and misdirections along the way did nothing for me because I knew exactly what was going on from about the 40% mark. So instead, I was much more interested in the characters. These characters are fascinating. The lengths they will go to do something, all because they have an idea in their head, is crazy. I really found the characters’ layers to be the most interesting part of this story - it makes for a great case study!

So this is a win for me! Would I have loved this more if it had a sci-fi element? Probably, but only because I think those are the stories JM writes best. But this is still a very entertaining read.

3.5 ⭐️

The last sentence of the opening prologue gave me chills!

An unnamed narrator confessing to being the BAIT that lured unsuspecting children to a home where they would end up dead and placed in suitcases in the attic.

The suitcases won’t be found for 39 years.

Finn and Mia have purchased a fixer-upper and they are hard at work trying to turn the derelict house into a dream home, before the birth of their first son. But, when Mia uncovers a message scored into a skirting board, she follows the clue into the attic, and finds the carefully arranged, dusty suitcases with their secrets still intact.

I thought perhaps the author was flirting with horror, this time, and I was ALL IN!

But, although John Marrs is a favorite author of mine-this one wasn’t a favorite of his-for me!

Finn and Mia will have to move in with his parents, Dave and Debbie, while the detectives investigate and try to give names to the skeletons of the missing children from many decades prior.

The TITLE gives us a clue of what to expect-this is a DYSFUNCTIONAL family drama as much as it is a psychological thriller, and, if you know me-dysfunctional families are not a favorite of mine!!

So when the story moved in this direction, it dragged a bit for me.

I did enjoy the excerpts of newspaper clippings, and podcasts sprinkled throughout, which helped to fill in details of the story. There was even one from a YOUTUBE SERIES by ex police detective and crime thriller author, Caroline Mitchell which was a fun touch! 😉

I loved “The Good Samaritan” and I am always captivated by the Dystopian World which John Marrs has created (The One, The Passengers, and The Minders) so you can be sure that I will still be auto-requesting his next, despite not being quite as enamored with this story.

Surprisingly-the creepy EPILOGUE actually earned the final half star!

Thank You to Thomas and Mercer for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

AVAILABLE October 18, 2022! (I know! It’s a long wait, but I couldn’t resist reading it early!)




I

The saying goes you can’t choose your family - or can you? As you are ‘entering’ the dark mind of the marvellous John Marrs aka Mr Twisty himself, then anything is possible! It starts with a scare and there isn’t much let up until the bitter end. In 2018 Mia and Finn buy a doer-upper in Stewksbury , Bedfordshire. The house is neglected and definitely creepy but does it have a past?? Well, obviously it does if you’ve ever read the author before!! A chilling message in childlike writing is discovered above a skirting board followed by harrowing discoveries in the attic which implodes Finn and Mia’s world. The story is told by the young couple and by Finn’s parents Dave and Debbie, interspersed with podcasts, interviews and news clippings.

How do I categorise what I’ve just read? How about highly entertaining and bonkers which is just about my favourite combination! The characterisation is excellent and the author will confound your expectations on a few occasions. The impact of all that unfolds is done exceptionally well although Mia does sometimes wade in with both feet. I daresay we wouldn’t have such a hood story if she didn’t! Her guilt, fear and anxieties are described with real empathy and you do sympathise with her and understand her obsession with getting to the truth. It becomes ever more dangerous and she is put through the mill on several occasions. This is certainly a rollercoaster ride of a read with the shocks and twists keeping on coming especially as secrets come bubbling up to the surface. There are very good cliffhangers and some tantalising snippets of information that send your mind spinning in a multitude of directions.

However, it isn’t too hard to figure out at least two of the twists but I can say with certainty that some you do not! There’s me thinking my mind has a tendency to flit to the dark side but this is next level! This is dark, intense, disturbing and hard to put down as you’re desperate to unearth the truth and so you willingly board the train to crazy town! It’s another winner for me!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Amazon Publishing U.K. for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I have always given John Marrs book a 5* and I absolutely loved The Passengers and banged on about it to anyone who would listen. Although I enjoyed Keep it in the Family I didn't find it amazing, I found the characters a little irritating and didn't gel with any of them. There is an almighty twist at the end that I didn't see coming and this has elevated my overall rating to a 4*

What a story! Another crazy ride of creepiness, all so real thanks to brilliantly developed characters with the added bonus of having different voices in different chapters. Worked well to see both sides of what was going on.
Do you know what’s happening in your house, what’s already happened, what your family is capable of? Can you trust anyone or is that niggling suspicion worth following?
This story is so twisty-turny you’re never sure what’s about to happen - true to life, intense, unputdownable, thrilling. Another awesome John Marrs creation 5*

Whenever I see a new book from John Marrs, it automatically moves up on my reading pile list. Now usually I could guess what would happen in his book but this time he completely changed the plot and twisted in such a way that I was left spellbound. John has the knack of surprising you when you least expect it and Im so glad that this book proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and that I wouldn't want to ever get on his wrong side! A great read and I really recommend that people should just pick up his books without reading reviews as you really don't want to spoil the fun at all in any way.

How has such a nice family man got such a dark, twisty brain? His nightmares must be something else - which is why he is able to see into our souls and bring out something to really creep us out! Well done John Marrs, another triumph!

Mia and Finn are living with Finn's parents but are desperate for a home of their own. When Finn's parents find a derelict house that they want to do up and flip on, Mia and Finn decide that they should buy the house and do it up for them to live in. This unlocks a chain of events that there is no coming back from.

Told in various voices, on different timelines, this story carries you along throwing boulders in your way every so often upsetting what you thought you knew and taking you along a different track completely. A dark, disturbing, twisty novel that will haunt you for a long time.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4785170724

Wow! This book is ridiculously gripping and darkly thrilling. I spent most of the book guessing what could be on the next page and then savouring the delightful twists. It is so cleverly done. Nobody could be trusted!I have fallen in love with with this author and am now off to read his past books.