Julia and Sienna are sisters-in-law and best friends, as devoted to each other as they are to Jason, the man who connects them. When Jason becomes the primary suspect in a murder, their relationships and beliefs will be put to the test as they try to figure out what really happened - and what they all are truly capable of. A quick and entertaining read, Thicker Than Water is a bit of a slow burn, domestic drama/mystery. While I didn't find it particularly "twisty," it is well written and the relationship and character development is very well done. Overall I really enjoyed this one!

Thicker than Water is a mystery told from the perspectives of two women who are best friends and business partners, but most significantly, sister-in-laws. When the man who connects them (Julia's husband, Sienna's brother) is accused of murdering his boss, they surprisingly take different sides. Julia is not convinced of his innocence, while Sienna is and will go to the ends of the earth to prove he's not guilty.
I enjoyed this mystery and family drama, and thought it was unique in that the sister-in-laws love each other so much and are so torn up about being at odds with one another. It's not very thriller-y, although there is a twist at the end. I was kind of kicking myself for not thinking of it myself!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is less of a thriller than a domestic suspense novel, heavily focused on the characters of Sienna and Julia Larkin, sisters-in-law connected by Jason (Sienna's brother and Julia's husband). They have a tight friendship but when Jason falls into a coma after a bad car accident and is then the prime suspect in the murder case of his boss, Sienna and Julia's bond is tested to the max.

I LOVED the character work in this. Megan Collins really shines in her character work. Sienna and Julia were so good individually and together, and I loved their respective arcs. While this is highly character driven, there is also the plot/mystery of what really happened and what Jason's involvement was. The mystery isn't super twisty—I figured it out pretty early—but that didn't matter so much to me because to me, that wasn't the focus of the novel. The two women and their relationship were. So, if you go into this expecting a super plot heavy twisty thriller, you might be disappointed—but don't! Read it for the characters.

Siri, play “no body no crime” by Taylor Swift...

I finished reading Megan Collins' latest thriller pretty much in one sitting. I enjoyed every second this twisty and unputdownable murder mystery. I especially enjoyed the dynamics between Julia and Sienna, sisters-in-law with two very different perspectives on a man they both love and his potential involvement in the aforementioned murder. It felt fresh and was thought provoking, and fans of character driven domestic suspense will enjoy this book greatly.

Thank you so much Atria and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great thriller that I can see being a big hit with book clubs.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

The drama, the suspense, the thrill are all classic aspects of Megan Miranda books. This book was so enticing from the start with the fast paced developing psychological drama that had me wondering who to trust. The family aspect was what made this book better just because of how much they know and don’t know about eachother which makes the stakes even higher to keep the secrets in the dark. So thrilling and addictive! Thank you Megan and NetGalley for the arc!

Thicker Than Water is another wonderfully intoxicating thriller by Megan Collins. Propulsive, suspenseful and compelling. A thriller that grabs ahold of you and won’t let go. Keeping you guessing and pondering until the end.

Julia and Sienna are more than just sisters-in-law, they are business partners, best friends and soul mates. But their devotion and affection to each other is severely tested when Julia’s husband/Sienna’s brother Jason lays in a coma after a car accident and all signs point to him being the primary suspect in the gruesome murder of his boss. Sienna believes her brother can do no wrong and will go to the ends of the earth to prove his innocence. Julia knows Jason is not perfect and doubt creeps into her mind, especially as the investigation uncovers damning evidence, secrets and lies. Forcing the women to face some hard truths about the man they love and their relationship with each other.

The central plotline of Thicker Than Water is the evolving investigation into Jason as a murder suspect and the strain that puts on Julia and Sienna’s relationship. And it’s very well done, the story switching back and forth from the differing point of views of Julia and Sienna as they try to clear Jason’s name and/or come to terms with what he might be capable of. All the while, the reader gets a backstage pass to the inner thoughts and drive of each character as they process the events occurring around them and work through their own feelings. Which is a great device for urging the reader to keep going, since each successive chapter provides a different mindset from the previous one. Making it hard to put it down when you feel the need to know what the other person is thinking/doing next.

However, the thing that elevates this novel to another level beyond a crime thriller or police procedural is the deep dive into several themes about human connection. It explores key questions such as how well do you really know someone? How fragile is trust when doubt starts to creep in? How much distress can friendships endure, and can they come out stronger as a result of hardship or will the crumble under the pressure? Should you just write off people who have wronged you because it’s easier or will being strong enough to accept people’s flaws lead to a more fulfilling life? So while you are entertained and trying to guess whodunit, you think about your own relationships and actions.

Enjoyment with contemplation. A combination that makes for a great book just like chocolate and peanut butter making a great sweet and savory treat.

Everytime I put this book down I kept picking it right back up. Two best friends thrust into a life altering tragedy and trying to make sense of it while starting to truly see each other for who they are. The tension is rife when they begin to see things differently. It’s a fast paced read, I just wish that when everything came out it wasn’t so cut and clean.

I really liked this one. The story was interesting but I loved such an interesting relationship between Sienna and Julia.

Thicker Than Water is an adeptly crafted, character driven psychological thriller that takes a hard look at family loyalties and female friendships. Julia and Sienna are sisters-in-law and very close friends. When Sienna's brother, also Julia's husband, Jason, is in an accident that results in him in a coma, Sienna and Julia also find out he is the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Sienna cannot believe it, but the more Julia discovers, she doesn't know if she can stand by her husband's actions. The unraveling of the truth is perfectly paced, and the conclusion is utterly satisfying.

I was looking forward to reading this since I LOVED the author's previous books. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of my favorites and would give the book 2.5 stars. It didn't seem like much of a mystery/thriller and was more centered around Sienna and Julia, not the actual crime. My favorite part of the book had to be Sienna and Julia's relationship. I'm pretty sure Julia married Jason because of Sienna. The women always enjoyed themselves around each other and there was always laughter. I found myself smiling with with the stuff they would say, like motatoes (which was probably repeated a hundred times) and telling Aiden his mom was bit by a rat. Why didn't Maeve tell the police about the gutter cutter? Did the police actually look into Gavin's death and properly question everybody? Sienna and Julia were able to figure it out pretty quickly. Sienna had Jason on a pedestal and he could do no wrong. She also had double standards. She didn't want to forgive Wyatt but expected Julia to forgive Jason. Jason also had a hero complex. He always had to to stop and help someone even if it hurt his family. Strangers always came before his family. Gavin's murder seemed to be a very small part of the book and when the truth was finally revealed, I wasn't really shocked. I really enjoyed most of the book (really the parts centered around Sienna and Julia), just wasn't invested in the actual crime or anything to do with Jason. I loved Wyatt.

Definitely recommend giving the book a try, especially if you enjoyed Megan Collins's previous books. I thought the book was going to be more of a mystery/thriller. Thankfully Julia found her voice and is finally getting rid of those awful roosters. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the book but it felt more like a cozy mystery than a thriller. The chapters alternate between Julia and Sienna's POV which I really liked. I also really liked their relationship. They were both well developed characters and their dialogue felt authentic. I was just hoping for something different, less predictable, but I would definitely check out another book from this author again. Thank you @netgalley @atriabooks for the ARC.

🗓️ Pub Date: July 11, 2023

When Integrity Plus’ owner Gavin, is brutally murdered, and days later Jason, who is a team member at Integrity Plus gets into a car accident that lands him in a medically induced coma, we wonder if someone is targeting members of the organization. Only upon closer inspection, evidence surfaces that points to Jason being the killer.

Jason’s wife, Julia, and sister, Sienna are the only ones who seem to think there’s no way that Jason could have killed Gavin.
The secrets they’re all harboring weave messy webs, and the delicate veneer of lies they’ve told are starting to show their cracks. Maybe blood isn’t thicker than water after all. Maybe the people you’re closest with, are people you don’t really know at all.

Megan Collins was able to craft an intriguing mystery/family drama, spreading little clues throughout the story that kept me guessing.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Megan Collins for providing me with an advance reader copy to read and review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed Thicker Than Water. I pretty much blew through it in a few days. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the multiple POVs. It was captivating and kept you guessing. One moment I suspected someone and then had to reevaluate how I was looking at the entire thriller plot. At the end, I had two possible solid suspects and the one I was leaning towards was ultimately who it ended up. I kind of wish my second guess was it because it would’ve been less expected. Also, there was a decent amount of chapters after the big reveal and although I understand the need to tie up loose ends, I wish I ended sooner. So for those two reasons I deducted a star.
Overall, I enjoyed and would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Megan Collins has quickly become an automatic read for me.
Thank you to Atria books via Netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

what started out as a gruesome thriller murder mystery ended up becoming a wholesome best friend found family ending … and I’m not mad about it? 🧐

julia and sienna aren’t just best friends, but they’re also sister in laws … and wannabe true crime detectives when their brother / husband winds up a suspect for murder. which always makes my eyes roll because most of the time, creating your own case only hurts the actual case even more (and can we talk about how they never use gloves either ugh?) 😒

so even though I’m not a fan of the constantly searching for answers with no real leads vibes, megan’s writing was absolutely addicting! her characterization of both julia and sienna were wonderful as I really felt like these characters were super real

that being said, both characters annoyed me to no end. both were completely blind to the real world scenario happening around them, and frankly, both of them needed a slap in the face and someone to shake their shoulders to tell them to get their ish together 🤪 I’d be happy to volunteer as tribute

as wholesome as the ending was, there were plenty of red flags surrounding the mystery - and it all wrapped up pretty much how I figured it would go. it wasn’t the most original or twisty mystery novel out there, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

thank you to netgalley and atria for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: côtes de beaune pinot noir

This is an entertaining story that held my attention throughout despite thinking to myself every page of the way how much I would not want to be friends with either of the two main characters, sisters-in-law Julia and Sienna Larkin. Nor, for that matter, did I have much rapport with Julia's husband Jason, Sienna's brother; he spends most of the book in a coma, but since much of the story centers on him, I learned enough to know he's not my kind of guy.

Julia and Sienna are close friends and business partners; Julia and Jason have a mostly grown son Aiden. Jason has been working long hours in the hopes of earning a promotion; getting it becomes problematic with the brutal murder of his boss (among other things, his lips were sewn shut). All possibility of a promotion becomes totally out of the question when, a few days later, Jason has a devastating car accident that results in a medically induced coma and the possibility that he won't recover. Things really take a turn for the worse when the police determine that Jason is the primary murder suspect - but of course, he has no way to defend himself.

So, that task falls to his two ardent supporters, Julia and Sienna. Both are loyal to the core; Jason, they agree, couldn't possibly be the killer no matter what the evidence shows. Well, maybe not no matter what; as the investigation heats up - and some of what Julia recalls about Jason's actions of late (ones she's never shared with her bestie even though they share everything) - Julia begins to suspect the cops may be onto something.

And that, of course, begins to fracture the tight bond between the two women; Sienna refuses to consider the possibility that Jason played any part in the murder. As the story progresses, readers get alternating perspectives from both, complete with additional backstory clues that suggest their friendship may not have been as tight as even the two of them once believed. And speaking of belief, the ending left me shaking my head a bit; humans filled with as much angst, self-doubt and troubled pasts as Julia, Sienna and Jason don't suddenly turn into trusting, accepting people without help from a skilled therapist and/or heavy duty medication. With these three characters, I'm not even sure a shrink or drugs could turn the tide.

But suffice it to say everything is resolved in one way or another, and the whole story is well-thought-out and good enough that I took it to bed to finish because I was too engrossed to wait till morning. For the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley (and the author, of course, whose books I have enjoyed previously).

I had to DNF this one unfortunately. I got about 50% in and it was just too slow. Also, the nonstop holding hands between Julia and Sienna drove me crazy. Every thing that happened mentioned them holding hands, that doesn’t happen in real life so it just got annoying. I wanted to like this one, but I just couldn’t.

I've been struggling a bit to gather my thoughts on this one put it into words, so I'll just give some general vibes I had while reading and my thoughts on the ending.

It started out great! I was hooked immediately and the opening vibes were super creepy! I was excited to learn more about this dysfunctional family situation and knew right off the bat that I couldn't trust any of them! Unfortunately, as the book went on, things started to slow down, especially at the half way point. It almost seemed as if I was reading the same chapter over and over again since there was just so much repetition and speculation without any new information.

Personally, it just bores me when so much of a book is spent with the characters just theorizing who committed a murder without anything new happening. It's hard to communicate this frustration, but it's easy for my to identify when it's happening in my reading. Hopefully someone understands what I mean! LOL

There were a lot of red herrings, which was fun, but lead to a few things not being fleshed out very much and possible plot holes.

This was my first Megan Collins book and I'm interested enough to go back and read her prior work (THE FAMILY PLOT) because I've heard great things about it!

Thank you so much to Atria Publishing for the E-ARC. This book will be available for purchase on July 25th!

Told in the alternating POVs of two sisters-in-law, Julia and Sienna, “Thicker Than Water” by Megan Collins is a thriller that also explores family relationships. Julia is married to Jason, Sienna’s brother, together they have a small business, and their bond has been strong for 16 years. Now something startling has happened: Jason’s boss Gavin has been gruesomely murdered (his mouth was crudely sewn shut) and Jason is in a coma in the ICU after a suspicious single car accident. Moreover, he’s revealed as a suspect in Gavin’s death. As the story continues, each woman’s relationship with Jason and each other is put to a test. Sienna unflinchingly believes her brother Jason could do no wrong; Julia has recently experienced a slight shift in her marriage that shakes her trust in her husband. Together, however, they want to know what really happened.

I loved the back and forth POVs, knowing each woman is trying to get to the truth while still withholding something from each other. The confused teenage son adds another dimension to the narrative. This becomes quite a page -turner and a twisty, tension-filled, thought-provoking thriller. At its heart, however, is an emotional story about love and trust. 5 stars!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Julia, however, has equally unusual hazel eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO I wasn’t even sure what season it was.

The concept of Thicker Than Water grabbed me right away, and I really enjoyed Megan Collins' writing. This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last!

Julia and Sienna are best friends and sisters in law, as Julia is married to Sienna's brother, Jason. When Jason is in a car accident and accused of murder while in a coma, the two women are forced to cope in their own ways. Julia withdraws as usual, while Sienna feeds her internal fire and attempts to clear Jason's name. The two are at odds for the first time in their relationship, testing the bond between them.

I loved the friendship and sisterhood between Julia and Sienna, and it was interesting to watch what happened when it was strained. Sienna reacted how most sisters would, in defense of their brother who they see as a protector. The dual POV gave us both Sienna and Julia's thoughts, and the opposing viewpoints made for an excellent read.

I wouldn't say any of the characters were very likable to me; I found Julia to be too passive and Sienna too fiery and think most people are somewhere in the middle of that. They made for an interesting balance on either side of Jason.

I would call this more of a slow burn rather than a fast paced read. I did figure things out prior to the end, but I still enjoyed the read and watching how everything was revealed.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.