Thank you NetGalley, Forge Books, and Matt Goldman for the advanced copy of A Good Family in exchange for my honest review.

Happy pub day to this excellent, fast-paced thriller!

I admittedly requested this solely because of where the book takes place, because I have a good friend who lives there. Imagine my surprise and delight when the book turned out to be a riveting page turner!

When the puzzle pieces first started assembling themselves I thought it may end up being a rather run-of-the-mill thriller but I was glad when that turned out not to be the case. The ending definitely had a shock factor and I was very satisfied with how everything played out.

Matt Goldman returns following Carolina Moonset with his latest domestic suspense thriller, A GOOD FAMILY — dark secrets are hidden beneath the surface of a picture-perfect family, marriage, friends, and neighborhood.

The Kuhlmanns (Jack and Katie) live in Edina, Minnesota, in a neighborhood Country Club on Browndale Street. They all seem to be so perfect.

Kate did not grow up with wealth. She worked hard as a mother and at her job at GM. Jack grew up with old money- his family making their fortune in lumber. She needs stability, security, love, and comfort. She thought she had this, but things CHANGED.

Katie met Jack at the University of Minnesota at a hockey game. His friend Bagman, aka Adam Ross, approached her first and made the introduction. Katie and Jack married later and had two children, twins Elin and Kaleb.

Jack is the CEO of Electro-North 45. He is preoccupied with work. Katie thinks he is withdrawn from the family. Katie cares about her family but has noticed Jack's strange behavior. He is hiding something.

Then Bagman (Adam Ross) shows up from Florida (his best friend from college) out of the blue. It had been twenty-four years since he dropped out of college and moved to southern Florida, where he grew up.

He says he sells industrial insulation products and works from home. Jack lets him move into their mother-in-law's suite over the garage without asking Katie first.

Strange things begin happening with Adam. Who is he really, and what bad things are he involved in? Katie worries about her family. Is he bringing danger to their home? Why hasn't he left yet? Then he wants to borrow a considerable amount of money.

Jack keeps disappearing to the basement at odd hours and constantly checking his phone. What is he doing? Where is he going? She suspects an affair. What is going on? He keeps rejecting her.

There is the book club and ski friends: Latisha, Sandra, Miriam, Terri, and Jane. Are they friends? They add to the drama- think Desperate Housewives. Who are these people?

Next, we have Noah, a lawyer from New York, a friend and skiing buddy of Katie's she met at Birkie the year before. He skied for the Nordic team. Now he is opening an office in the Twin Cities. Katie continues to meet him but does not tell her husband.

What is going on with Adam? Katie does some sleuthing and finds a gun. First Bagman in the guest suite— and now, Sandra lives behind her.

Noah and Katie follow Jack. A hotel, a pretty young woman with long dark hair. The same woman that came to the house previously asking for Jack. Rebecca, a reporter. Someone winds up dead.

We learn about Katie's earlier life from the present to flashbacks of 1988-1989. Her grandparents taught her to ski, and she dedicated her life to living for her parents after they were gone (when she was ten).

Things were off. They were messy. Katie could not continue to live like this. Jack seemed to sacrifice one secret to guard another. Jack's behavior was unstable and unpredictable. Is she and her children safe?

The plot thickens when the FBI gets involved, underground tunnels, infidelity, a gun, misdeeds, a private investigator, a reporter, and an investigation. Soon Katie realizes having money does not make her happy. She was happier when they had nothing. How did her life get so off track?

The body count rises and takes us to the Epilogue two years later, where everything is wrapped up.

A GOOD FAMILY is a drama-filled domestic suspense full of secrets, neighborhood gossip, and many moving parts. A clever mystery, the author takes readers on a wild ride—we don't know who to trust, who to root for, and who is dangerous until we get further along.

Goldman steers a twisting course with readers breathlessly turning the pages to see how it will turn out—for fans of domestic suspense and authors Mary Kubica, Kimberly Belle, and B.A. Paris.

A talented writer, and while I enjoyed A GOOD FAMILY, I liked Carolina Moonset better. I listened to the audiobook and realized I never posted my review—I will be doing so soon.

Thanks to #ForgeBooks for a gifted e-ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 2023 Must-Read Books

This was an average domestic suspense novel for me. Was it my favorite? Nah. Was I entertained? You betcha. You have a very well-to-do family, but the husband is acting strangely, his wife is suspicious, and an old friend from the past comes a-knocking. The writing style wasn't exactly my favorite (a lot of "he said/she said"), but I was overall interested to see where the plot was heading and I ended up enjoying this read more than I initially thought I would. This story was a mixture of Katie's history with her current state of her marriage and friendships- neither of which were overly exciting, but I was also never bored and I really did like Katie's character. I was super curious to see how all the characters and storylines would converge in the end, but I was sort of let down by my own expectations and imagination. HOWEVER, I really did not expect parts of that ending which is always a good thing.

A slow-moving domestic thriller that, in some places, is right up there with the movie Gaslight.

There are plenty of issues with this book; for example, Katie seems to be heavily in denial. We can almost understand why, but I can't buy it - not completely. I had to stretch my credibility muscles quite a bit during parts of this novel. Katie just seemed too naive to be a higher-up at General Mills.

I can not say that this was a bad read-it really wasn't, and it kept me turning pages avidly. I really wanted to know how and why Jack kept disappearing and why Bagman just suddenly showed up with not a peep from Jack or Katie at the lateness of the hour.

This was worth the time it takes to read and will keep you guessing even if the ending is a little too pat for my comfort. I will most likely be reading the next book Mr. Goldman produces.

ARC* was supplied by the publisher Forge Books, the author, and NetGalley.

Normally I am not a nosy person. However I become the biggest busybody when it comes to an intriguing plot.
I had to figure out what was going on in Katie’s marriage and why her husband was being very weird.
I did think Katie was way too trusting of virtual strangers and quite gullible. Jack was a total swine and reprehensible.
I also thought it was ludicrous that Katie would offer Adam a substantial sum of money.
The plot was good but some parts of the story were not too believable.

Okay, so parts of this book I absolutely loved, but I had some problems with some of the content and the overall length. For lack of a better place to start, I'm starting with some of my specific issues.
First, can we please not compare being married to living in North Korea? I understand, some marriages are really hard, but the Korean communist system inflicts such strict control over their subjects that to compare that to marriage seems kind of offensive to the people actually living under communist regimen in North Korea. Also, in discussing the whole "grown men crying" issue, can we please be less sexist? I know what she was going for here, but overall, it's really just perpetuating old and outdated gender expectations. Why a wife is upset that her husband is crying, is beyond me. All people should feel free to express their feelings (grief and sadness included) openly and in a safe environment.
I really disliked that the pastor overrode Katie's grandparents' decision and let her view the bodies of her family members. First, didn't really help the story, other then that the pastor came back at the end, and it also models overriding parental/grandparent authority in a huge, and potentially very scaring way for a young child.
I also found the weird paragraphs of history and/or geography lessons very distracting. The explanations of how a town came to be or the way an island is situated were annoying more then anything else. I was fairly engrossed in the story, so I found myself skimming these parts a lot.
To be fair, most of what I've discussed above are rather small details, but it made the entire story seem a little less then spectacular for me.
This novel definitely kept me reading, even though I would've liked it to be a bit shorter (too many specifics added that made no sense) and I didn't hate it, but I also did not feel "wowed" when I turned the final page.

**please note, this review (or an edited version of it) will be uploaded to my instagram @leannaslittlelibrary on the publication date 5/30/23
Thank you for letting me read!

Katie Kuhlmann appears to have it all from the outside, but her marriage is slowly slipping through her fingers. Her husband, Jack, continues to act oddly - disappearing for pockets of time, constantly on his devices, and being all around cold to her and the children. As a friend from the past heightens tensions, can Katie protect her family and get to the bottom of these secrets?

I read this book on a 4.5 hour flight and it kept me captivated the entire time. This book felt different because while the reader was taken on multiple journeys, none felt unrealistic from the framing of the book. Matt Goldman did a phenomenal job introducing characters, leaving crumbs of foreshadowing, and having enough characters to keep things interesting without having an overwhelming amount of names and characters to remember.

I really enjoyed the pocket of the book where we went into Katie's past to understand her perspective on life and how she ended up here. It fit very well within the book and helped with the build to the climax and conclusion. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the publishing date!

Uh… what?

I’m not sure what I just read… I flew through this one but I feel like a crazy person after finishing it. From the beginning to then end, this feels like two completely separate books. There are characters who are present through the entirety that seem to have ultimately not fit the storyline. The most outlandish and simultaneously anticlimactic things happen, and it left my head spinning.

Katie has a seemingly idyllic life. She has been with her husband since college, they have built a beautiful home and have two great children. But something with her husband is off, made more significant by the arrival of his old college friend.

This is basically all you get from the synopsis and this just scratches the surface of what happens in the book. This is one that you need to read for yourself. Maybe your brain won’t feel like mush after you finish it…

This was a first read for me by author Matt Goldman. The beginning started off a little slow but it still kept me wanting to read more. Once it picks up you will be invested til the end. It's filled with lies, suspicions, and a good sum of intrigue. As soon as you think you have this all figured out you realize you don't. I will be recommending this book to my friends.



Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, Forge Books for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

This one did end up being really good. The only problem was the getting there.. The story had a lot of draggy parts, and I could not really connect with Kate, the main character. She is married to Jack who may or may not be a jerk. He is acting strangely. They have 2 kids and live in a well-to-do Minnesota neighborhood. Jack's old friend Adam, needs a place to stay, and they let him in. Even stranger things begin happening. This was a pretty basic domestic suspense story that ended up having a pretty great ending. This was my first from this author It
wasn't a bad book, just slower than I would've liked. I would definitely give him another shot.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Matt Goldman and Tor Publishing Group, Forge Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

Rating: 4 stars

Summary: Kate is married and two kids in a very posh neighborhood South of Minneapolis. Her husband’s company is in possibility serious trouble. Kate meets a guy out of the blue while training for the Birkie. When Kate starts asking questions about her marriage and her husbands dealing she wants to divorce. What can go wrong?

Comments: In an over saturated domestic suspense novel, Goldman does it well like all his novels. I miss Nils

This was a pretty average domestic thriller. There was something about the writing that made it hard to get in a flow at the beginning, but it worked itself out as I got used to the author’s style. I did find that the second half of the book moved faster and I was curious to figure out what was going on!
•
It had a hint of Real Housewives—messy neighborhood drama and catty frenemies—and a super dysfunctional and mostly unbelievable relationship between our protagonist Katie and her husband Jack. Her decisions were baffling most of the time and I think it will annoy most readers.
•
I landed on 2.5 stars for this one. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the advance e-copy!

This was a very quick read for me as it was suspenseful and interesting enough and I wanted to know why and how Jack kept disappearing. But it was not an enjoyable read getting to that destination as it was very repetitive and dragged in some parts. I did like the chapters about Katie’s younger years and what led up to the way she is regarding family.

The ending/twist was easily figured out, anti-climatic, overdone and completely unbelievable. I know this is fiction and it really shouldn’t matter but I can’t help but feel like my intelligence is being insulted. The whole Noah thing just didn’t make sense either. I liked the premise but the book really lacked when it came to the execution.

Sometimes happiness is all about appearances.

A Good Family was a meh read for me. Here’s why:

We have a wife who doesn’t confront her husband about anything. This is beyond the miscommunication trope, and well into a don’t ask, don’t tell lifestyle.

The wife is willfully ignorant because, you know, what would the neighbors think?

The husband is an asshat.

Pacing through the first three quarters is slow, with an excess of drama, a mild undercurrent of suspense, and no thrills. The final quarter speeds up with lots of activity, but also gives us some eye roll-inducing content.

If you like your suspense doused in melodrama, and you don’t mind stretching plausibility, then you might love this one. The writing itself is engaging.

You can't throw a brick without hitting suspense and tension in A Good Family. It was too good to let go so I read it in one sitting, practically gnawing my tongue and holding my breath. Author Matt Goldman has a knack for building tension and I ate it up!

Kate sees red flags in her marriage to Jack. Heck, she sees red flags in Jack.
Secrets are layered with deceit and spell distrust, confusion and angst. Kate's kids are her anchor, not their massive house or affluent neighbourhood. Jack's erratic behaviour causes her to seriously think of the future. Jack's friend Adam shows up and welcomed to stay in a self-contained suite in their house. But disturbing happenings only worsen. Kate opens up to her closest friends and realizes she must find answers on her on volition.

If domestic suspense is your wheelhouse, do prioritize A Good Family. Though the story is fantastic the ending did not feel in keeping with the rest. Still well worth reading.

My sincere thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this lusciously dark novel.

"New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman's A Good Family is a gripping, emotional thrill ride about the secrets hidden underneath a picture-perfect neighborhood.

Katie Kuhlmann's marriage is falling apart. But she has a secure job, her children are healthy, and her house, a new construction in the prestigious Country Club neighborhood of Edina, Minnesota, is beautiful. She can almost ignore the way her husband, Jack, has been acting - constantly checking his phone, not going to work, disappearing from the house only to show up again without explanation.

Tension in the Kuhlmann house only gets worse when Adam "Bagman" Ross, a mutual friend from college, happens to be in the neighborhood and in need of a place to stay. Jack is quick to welcome him into the sanctity of their home, but Jack's strange behavior only gets worse, and Katie fears their new guest is also harboring a dark secret. As she begins to uncover the truth, she realizes that something is terribly wrong - and she must race to protect her family as danger closes in."

Because everyone knows that even behind the doors of the most prestigious neighborhoods there's darkness.

Thank you Tor Publishing & Netgalley for en eARC of A Good Family by Matt Goldman. 4 stars!

This is my first book by this author, and definitely won't be my last. The story follows Katie Kuhlmann, and it's quite obvious from the getgo that her marriage is in shambles. She seems to have it all - Except a stable relationship. Her husband is acting strange - Disappearing from the house, constantly on his phone, etc. Things intensify when Adam "Bagman" Ross, an old mutual friend friend from college, shows up unannounced and begins living in their guest space. Is Adam dangerous? Is her husband dangerous?

I'm a sucker for the "rich family with secrets" thing in my books, so this was one that I could easily sink my teeth into. I found myself wanting to binge this story, and Katie is a MC that you empathize with and want to see succeed. Especially because her husband is being a total dink from the very start. I devoured this one in less than 24 hours and my husband was like "what are you even reading on your iPHONE?!" Sorry, couldn't help myself. Really enjoyed the ending, the twists, and was constantly wondering what was going on and who to trust.

THE GOOD FAMILY was an interesting book. It started off slow, but kept me wanting to read more. When it picked up the pace, I became heavily invested. I needed to know what was happening with Jack and also, why Adam just happened to appear one day at their home. The ending was satisfying and I really appreciated the epilogue. I think Mystery/Thriller fans will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for my ARC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

A bit predictable and standard, almost gave it 2 stars but the ending really was fun. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one to readers.

I loved Goldman’s 2022 title Carolina Moonset.
So I was a little excited when I seen a new title written by this author.

A Good Family by Matt Goldman is an emotion filled, suspenseful slow burn that made for a very enjoyable read.

Goldman creates a compelling narrative filled with characters who are complicated
The characers were all well developed, right down to the small parts, and this book was just an amazing read
I loved everything about this book: the characters, the setting, the mystery, and the story itself.
Mysterious and captivating Matt Goldman created a mystery that was gripping and unsettling. I was pleasantly surprised.

Two of two! That says something. I can’t wait for his next one!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Forge Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!