If you are looking for an absolutely gripping physiological thriller, this is a great read for you!!

Warning: Once you start this book, you may be up late into the night turning pages to finish it in one sitting because you NEED to know what happened.....at least that's what happened to me!!

Lillian and Matthew have the perfect marriage and live in an exclusive neighborhood....until one night during a party, something happens that changes their lives forever. Smith keeps us waiting and guessing throughout the book wondering what happened that dreadful night and the secret that Lillian and Matthew have kept to themselves for years. What it is will shock you!

Lillian and Matthew end up divorcing amicably and, in an effort, to keep life stable for their daughter Mabel, they keep their family home. Each takes their turn staying at a shared apartment they keep while the other stays in the family home. I never thought of this unique idea to keep children from experiencing some of the trauma of a divorce and wondered to myself if this would work in real life?!?

As the description mentions, the book starts out with a dead man in the apartment during Lillian’s stay, a man she has dated twice from an online dating app. This is the whodunit that kept me reading well into the night. I thought I had it figured out several times, but the twists and turns just kept coming.

If you enjoy dual POV’s, small town settings and surprise endings, you'll I highly recommend this book!

Smith does a superb job of developing the two main characters and the dual murder aspect of the book added depth to the storyline. The fact that I didn’t guess the murderers in either case, made this an addictive read for me!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advance copy.

This is my first Miranda Smith book and won't be my last. I devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot is well thought out and the character development is good. The storyline leaves you guessing right until the end (for me anyway!). The ending sews everything up neatly which can sometimes be a good thing but sometimes feels a little too perfect and I think the latter applies here! An easy read. Would recommend to friends.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5015716516

Very good domestic thriller which sees a marriage dissolve after a tragedy. While both parents stay best friends trying to maintain the best family situation for their daughter., cracks start to appear and that one night will come back to haunt them in unsuspecting ways. Definitely a page-turner!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This was definitely a bonafide page-turner, one of those books you can’t put down even though it’s time for bed. I thought the beginning was better than the ending, but overall it was steadily engrossing the whole way through! Between the different timelines, unsolved mysteries, a murder, a missing person, and a unique living situation, it’s a complex psychological thriller that makes you question everyone and everything.

This is a very intense psychological thriller that will ensnare you in from the beginning pages. You know things are a little "off" with the family dynamics of Lillian and Matthew. They are divorced, but they live together for the sake of their child. They have a separate apartment to use as well which they apparently take turns staying at. I never quite understand that part. This can only spell disaster at some point. What you do not realize in the beginning is that they have a wicked secret between them which will now threaten to destroy their lives. When Lillian awakens on the sofa in their apartment with a massive headache, she stumbles into the bedroom only to find a butchered man in the bed. She has no idea who he is or how he got there until she realizes that he is a man she went on two dates with. However, the name he used on the dating website does not match his real person. Why did he a give a fake identity? Cue the creepy music. There were some parts that made my hair stand on end.

I started this book one evening, and I did not stop until I hit the last page. I just had to know what happened. The author does a great job of misleading you and taking you down one rabbit hole after another. I fell down so many rabbit holes that I was beginning to think my name was a little girl name Alice! The suspense, intrigue and mystery were tense and electric. Miranda Smith also does a great job of messing with your mind as the reader. At some point and time, I suspected every single character. However, she concludes it with a shocking conclusion that will leave you wondering, "Did that just happen?" All I can say is WOW! This is the first book that I had read by Miranda Smith, but it will not be my last.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was definitely a bonafide page-turner, one of those books you can’t put down even though it’s time for bed. I thought the beginning was better than the ending, but overall it was steadily engrossing the whole way through!

Seaside Cliffs is an exclusive neighborhood in the quaint town of Anne Isle. Lillian and Matthew moved there after the tech company he co-founded got very successful, and they raise their daughter, Mabel, there in this secluded, cliff-covered enclave by the sea.

They have an unconventional relationship, in that they are divorced, but they kept the one house for their child to grow up in. They also have an apartment that they each live in when the other is staying at the house with Mabel, but primarily they stay in the “family home”. They’ve both moved on, with Matthew meeting Rebecca and starting a relationship, and Lillian cruising the dating apps - having fun but not finding anyone worth her permanent time. They stay friendly for their daughter … and for The Secret that binds them.

Lillian and her daughter have the same birthday, and after a party at the family house, she and Rebecca go get a little (a lot) sloppy drunk back at the apartment. As we know from the synopsis, when Lillian wakes up after passing out on the couch, she stumbles to her bed, only to find a dead body there. Immediately she is a prime suspect, and we find ourselves in the thick of a murder mystery … and don’t forget about The Secret.

As I mentioned, this was engaging all throughout. None of the characters became close to my heart, but they were the regular neighborhood thriller characters. The ending wasn’t anything I saw coming, though I’m still trying to decide if I liked it. I would’ve gone a different direction, but I’m also not a successful author! It got a tiny bit cliché and dramatic towards the end, but that didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed this one. A solid four stars.

(Thank you to Bookouture, Miranda Smith, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

(I received a digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Had it not for the ending, I would give it 4 stars.

Lillian and Matthew are the kinda couple that went through an amicable divorce. So amicable that, for the sake of their only daughter, Mabel, they shared the family home and the apartment downtown. When one of them stays in the house with Mabel, the other would stay in the apartment. Matthew has a gf, Rebecca from Mabel's school, and Lillian is trying her luck on online dating app. Imagine her (+Matthew's) surprise when she comes back one early morning to find a man killed in her apartment bedroom. One thing she doesn't share with the police is that she once went on two dates with the stranger and he had a relation with Lillian and Matthew's past.

I have to admit that the title was kinda misleading because none of these things happened in their home, around their home, sure, but not exactly on their home. But it could be a symbolism for Lillian's strong will to protect her daughter tho, I still don't think it's a suitable title.

Moving on, the writing was good! I would devour it in one sitting if not for the weekend so it shows how much engaging the book was. I kept wondering whodunit and what was the reason and all and I love that, until at a point, Lillian's friends were supportive of her. Matthew was also supportive, a thing to be suspicious of (for the reader lol). Lillian was not someone who would sit idle waiting for the police. Although this could appear more incriminating to her, I like that quality in a female protagonist.

And now, the ending. Oh God, the ending. Like, why? To me, it appeared out of nowhere but if I didn't think of the 'who', it all made sense.

It's still an enjoyable read.

Lillian and Matthew had what appeared to be the perfect marriage with a beautiful little girl they struggled for years to have. But one night something happens that changes everything. We spend a portion of the book not knowing exactly what happened.

Lillian and Matthew are now divorced. They are friends and very amicable. They have a unique living arrangement - they kept their house and swap off staying there with their daughter Mabel, while the other stays at a shared apartment, where they each have a bedroom.

Together they host a birthday party for Mabel. It's also Lillian's birthday and after the party, she goes out for drinks with Matthew's girlfriend. She returns home, falls asleep on the couch, and in the middle of the night wakes and heads to bed, only fo find a dead body in her bed! She later realizes he is someone she went on a couple date with, but he had never been in her apartment.

Lillian and Matthew trust and believe in each other. But as the investigation continues into the murder, and more things come out, their foundation starts to crumble a little and doubts creep in.

We eventually find out what caused their marriage to end. And could it be related to the mysterious murder in their shared apartment?

LOVED the twist at the end! Did not see that coming!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Family Home by Miranda Smith

Published: October 3, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 320
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Miranda Smith writes psychological suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations, complicated women, and dark impulses.

“Who, really, can live like that?”

Lillian and Matthew have an unconventional divorce. They still live together, though they alternate staying at an apartment. While they are both rebuilding their romantic lives, they do have rules for keeping things neat. When a person is murdered in their apartment, a secret from their past is revealed, which could ruin everything.

I did not see the twists in this novel coming. Holy cow! I enjoyed the alternating narration and the way the timeline flowed.

The characters were solid. I liked Lillian a lot. She was a devoted mother and tried to be a good friend. She was fair and considerate of her ex-husband as well. Matthew was also likable, though he had more demons than Lillian.

The side characters all added a lot to the plot, and I applaud Miranda Smith for how she handled the scene where Blair confessed to Lillian that Richard abused her. When Lillian’s initial thought was, “why didn’t you just leave” but then followed up with how that is easier thought than a practice, I found that exceptionally well placed.

There were so many themes in this book. Trust, loyalty, family, friendship, love, and secrets, to mention a few. I loved how the dark themes were handled, and I enjoyed the way things played out.

The twists in this book will give you whiplash. When things happen, they happen quickly, and the truth is revealed in the most explosive way I’ve seen in a thriller.

This was a beautifully written novel, with raw emotions and the devastating weight of guilt. I enjoyed Miranda Smith’s writing style, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Lillian and Matthew are a happily divorced couple, and they share two things: a daughter and a secret that tore them apart.

They are friends and have mastered coparenting their daughter, Mabel, and think they have it all figured out. Until, that is, a dead man (that Lillian dated) is found in Lillian’s bedroom in their shared apartment. They both claim their innocence, but they are the only ones with a key. Can they trust one another? Their friends? The twists and turns kept me guessing.

I did not see the twist coming….at all, which is rare. I was completely thrown off track.

It was a very quick read and I did enjoy the book. I would recommend this to anyone that wants a quick and fun read that leaves you guessing the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Miranda Smith for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a gripping mystery

This was a very disturbing but good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not get enough of.

Lillian and Matthew are an amicably divorced couple. They share custody of their six-year-old daughter, Mabel. Mabel lives in the house full time, while Matthew and Lillian trade off staying with her in the house and living in a two-bedroom apartment. Everything seems to be going great until the night of Mabel’s sixth birthday party when Lillian discovers a dead man in her bed in the apartment she shares with Matthew. Only Lillian and Matthew have keys to the apartment. Who killed this man and how did he get into Lillian’s bed? Lillian suddenly feels like she can’t trust anyone.

Miranda Smith did an amazing job developing the characters of Lillian and Matthew. The story alternates POVs so we can get a better idea of what each character is experiencing and thinking. There were so many surprising twists and turns. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. I definitely stayed up past my bedtime reading the last 30% of the book, which doesn’t happen often for me. I just had to know what happened. I was completely stunned by the ending. Another thing that doesn’t happen often for me since I read so many psychological thrillers. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves psychological thrillers! 5/5 stars!

This is the perfect psychological thriller. The characters are well done, the plot flows well and the ending is a big surprise! I had no idea - not even a hint - of who the 'bad guy' was until the last chapter. When I mentally put all the pieces together after I finished the book down, it all made sense. There may have been clues along the way that some readers picked up but it was a total surprise for me!

Lillian and Matthew had the perfect marriage and agreed on everything. After the success of Matthew's company made them wealthy, they started IVF to have a baby and were rewarded with their daughter Molly.
Something horrible happened that caused them to question their lives and they ended up getting divorced. Instead of moving their child from one house to another constantly, they kept the family home and an apartment and whoever had custody each week, stayed in the house while the other lived in the apartment. They remained good friends and didn't have problems with the custody arrangement. One evening after their daughter's birthday party, Lillian went out with a friend and had too much to drink. When she woke up on the couch and stumbled into bed, she was shocked to see all of the blood in her room and a dead body in her bed. The first person she called was Matthew because she trusted him more than anyone. When the police start to question her, the trust between them begins to lessen -- Matthew worries that maybe she was guilty and she worries that he has told someone a major secret from their marriage that could change everything. Who is the man who is dead in her bed and who can she trust? and more importantly who killed him?

Every time I thought I had this figured out, I'd get more facts and realize how wrong I was. The ending was perfect and made a lot of sense based on plot of the story. It was a book that I couldn't put down once I read the first chapter and a book that I highly recommend to people who enjoy a good suspense novel.

This was definitely an addictive read. Told from dual POV'S by the wife and the husband. Both of them were likeable to a degree. However, as the book progressed I found myself liking the husband a little bit less. This was one of those books where you keep reading because you just want to know who did it and end up flying through it. I loved the setting of an upscale neighborhood with small town cliques and the drama that entails. The only thing I didn't care for was the ending. It kind of came out of nowhere and not in the best way. Otherwise this was a quick, enjoyable read. Three Stars.

"There's a dead man in my apartment. Only me and my ex have a key. But neither of us would have done this. We have too much to lose...

I wake on the sofa, my head throbbing. How did I get here? In the darkness, I make my way to my bedroom. I turn on the lights. And then I scream.

There's a body in my bed. And I know this man: we went on two dates together. Who could have killed him? And how did he get in? Only two people have a key to the house: me and my ex-husband Matthew.

I trust Matthew. With what we're hiding, I have to. And I can't risk the police digging into our past, or learning about the night when we drank champagne on the cliff and ruined everything.

Someone knows our secret. We have to find out what they want. But am I wrong to believe Matthew, when I know how well he can lie? And how can I save myself, when the truth might destroy me?

An absolutely gripping thriller that will keep you reading late into the night, unable to put the book down for a second. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell."

A twist on the locked room!

Wow. Really enjoyed this domestic thriller by Miranda Smith! Enjoyable read packed with tension, twists and turns. Loved the characters in this one! Richly developed and very well executed.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Enjoyable psychological thriller. With many twists and turns. Who to trust and who is lying? That is the question. Enjoy your reading!

An intriguing premise with a rather 'meh' finale.

Lillian and Matthew, an amicably divorced couple, have a rather unusual custody arrangement over their daughter, Mabel. They take turns at staying with Mabel in their family home at Seaside Cliffs while the other stays at their shared apartment; the upside being that Mabel has a stable home environment. What keeps their unconventional method working, is the boundaries the couple have set for themselves, one of which being that neither of them are allowed to bring a date/partner to their shared apartment. So when a dead body turns up at the apartment one night, both Lilian and Matthew are quick to doubt the other, as the two of them were the only ones with access to the place. Would the person, they once believed to be their 'happy ending' actually incriminate them in a crime? Was the secret that forced them to walk away from each other finally going to tear them apart?

The blurb alone was alluring enough, but add to it Lilian and Matthew's nesting arrangement and my curiosity was thoroughly piqued. With plenty of characters and their respective motives almost everyone was a suspect in my eyes, including Lillian and Matthew themselves.

However, for a plot that had an intriguing prologue, a great suspense build-up, interesting characters, and a solid mystery, the ending turned out to be quite a predictable one. Having cop characters deliberately dumbed down or not doing their job effectively, to carry the plot forward is turning out to be a pet peeve for me. Everything was framed just so, so that all characters involved could have a proper happy ending. Even Lillian and Matthew's justifications at the end, hardly seemed convincing.

Overall, a decent mystery - I really enjoyed the book, though the last few chapters soured it for me. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

One tragic event, that no one else knows about, will change the course of Lillian and Matthews' marriage forever. They are now very amicably divorced, raising their daughter together. Things go sideways when Lillian finds a dead man in her bed.
This is the beginning of a very suspenseful story that had me totally engrossed from page 1. A strong storyline of murder, relationships, betrayal and secrets that keeps you guessing as to how this leads to to the death of the man found in the bed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review

I wake on the sofa, my head throbbing. How did I get here? in the darkness, I make my way to the bedroom. I turn on the lights. And then I scream. There's a body in my bed. And I know this man: we went on two dates together. Who could have killed him? And how did he get in? Only two people have a key to the house: me and my ex-husband Matthew. I trust Matthew. With what we're hiding, I have to. And I can't risk the police dinning into our past or learning about the night when we drank champagne on the cliff and ruined everything.

I quite enjoyed this book even though the pace was slow to begin with. But the pace soon picks up and remains fast until the end. There is a dual timeline, the past - one year ago and the present day. The plotline will keep you guessing all the way through. This well written book had me hooked after a couple of chapters. The story is told in alternating in alternating points of view. This is an action packed, thrilling, gripping and twist filled read. I never saw that ending coming.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #MirandaSmith for my ARC of #TheFamilyHome in exchange for an honest review.