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.

This was the first time I read @megancollinswriter and I was blown away by the way she tells the story about two friends who are family, Julia and Sienna, who are reeling from their shared love one, Jason, who is allegedly seen as a suspect in the eyes of the police for the murder of his boss. As the two of them reel from the trauma - trying to make sense of the events that have unfolded. Their relationship is consistently tested as the investigation unfolds.

It is hard to overlook the character, Maeve’s experience of sexual assault by her boss, as that becomes a focus of the novel. Tied into this narrative then is how Sienna, Jason’s sister and Julia, Jason’s wife cope with the decisions made by Jason while he is in a coma.

I found the characters to be likable but also morally gray. Also, I could relate to Sienna and her desire to help her brother and also fight for him. I would have done the same. I also could relate to Julia who was often silent and compromising, and rarely spoke her mind. I guess growing up I was somewhere in the middle.

I do believe that the thriller genre is a hard one to pull off, and has to feel like the events can happen and the realities the characters are experiencing are plausible. And, I believe that’s what Megan has been able to achieve in this novel. It’s a cutting edge novel about the politics of family and relationships, how truth operates, and how much being righteousness is acceptable. Sometimes, Jason’s righteousness made me think of him that sometimes he was way out of his way for others and overlooking those who were near and dear to him. I truly enjoyed this one! A 5✨ from me!

Thank you @megancollinswriter, @avidreaderpress, and @netgalley for the gifted copy of the novel.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy. Thicker than water was absolutely a page turner. The story kept me guessing from the beginning on who killed Gavin and how is Jason associated with it. I hated most of the characters except Julia and Aiden. This is a story of relationships and betrayal. If you are up to a quick read, highly recommend!

I gave this book a 3-star rating because there were aspects that I loved and aspects that I did not care for... so that is what I will share in this review.

I really liked the main characters - wife and sister of the main suspect of a crime. Their relationship and perspectives throughout this book are well done. It is written through their two POVs.

I was 70% in, and other than the crime and the characters contemplating if he had actually done it or not, nothing else had happened. He was in a coma, and I felt bored.

The end gave it a small twist, but I found this book very different than The Family Plot.

Wow! Totally enjoyed this read! My first Megan Collins book but definitely not my last. Loved her descriptive writing style filled with secrets, lies and tense anticipation. Fabulous characters and relationships. Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

This was a one night/sitting read for me. I very much enjoyed this book! I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for getting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story revolves around Julia and Sienna who are best friends and sister in laws. They tell each other everything or so they both think until one-night changes everything. Julia's husband/Sienna's brother Jason is in a terrible car accident that puts him in a coma. Right before this happened, Jason's boss was found murdered in his backyard. Crazy enough evidence for the murder is found in Jason's car which makes him the number one suspect. Julia and Sienna are doing what they can to unravel what has happened without Jason around to give them any details, and they find themselves on opposites sides of his guilt. Sienna is sticking by him no matter what while Julia starts to question everything after untruth and more untruths come out without Jason to defend himself. Is he guilty or not? You will have to read to find out.

I really liked the conclusion to this book and all the in betweens! I would recommend this as a fast summer mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

The cover and synopsis drew me right into this story. Julia & Sienna are sister in laws, Julia is married to Siennas brother Jason. But more than just sister in laws, they’re best friends, and also business partners. Their world is rocked when Jason is in a life altering car accident, and simultaneously arrested for murder of his boss. Working together and sometimes against each other Julia & Sienna work to try and piece together what actually happened the night of the murder, to try and clear Jason’s name. But as evidence mounds it becomes clear to Julia, Jason must be guilty, while Sienna refuses to accept that truth. As the clocks ticking will they figure out if Jason is innocent? Will they be able to save what’s left of their friendship?

I enjoyed reading about the intricate dynamic of SIL and best friends with Julia & Sienna. But also appreciated the realness of how gritty it can get when your feelings are wrapped up between family and family that isn’t blood.

The story was definitely intriguing and kept me interested as the girls try to solve the murder. But it was more a suspenseful mystery you try to solve as a reader, than a true pulse driving thriller

Thicker Than Water offers plenty mystery and intrigue, with characters that you love to hate. The plot sucks you in while the characters are a bold reflection of some your worst qualities. You’re desperately rooting for them and praying for them to get it together. Megan Collins does a wonderful job wrapping tough discussions in a dark mystery.

I love Megan Collins! Thicker than water is a great who done it! I loved Sienna and Julia! Awesome strong, multidimensional, flawed female characters are my jam! Unfortunately the male characters were a bit one dimensional, caricatures rather than strong characters. Having said this, I still really enjoyed story! This is a quick read. .Alternating POV between Sienna and Julia kept me reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the copy of Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins. This is the third book I've read by Collins and it started out great, the writing style drawing me right into the story. This isn’t really your standard thriller. Yes, there's a surprising reveal that some readers might call a ‘twist’ but this is more of a look at female friendship and self-discovery, so don’t go in expecting a lot of action because much of the book is about Julia and Sienna’s search for the truth about the murder.
It was so interesting that Jason was in a coma so his wife Julia and his sister Sienna are the ones to deal with the accusations against him. Sierra was a really annoying character because she thought Jason was perfect. I think there was a better way to show that Julia and Sienna were really close other than constantly using their pet phrases because that really got old fast. I will be ecstatic to never read or hear “motatoes’ or ‘cool your fire’ again when this book is over. It’s also hard to believe that neither one of them ever watched or read a detective story before going out and looking for evidence on their own and leaving their fingerprints all over anything! I really enjoyed reading this book, although the end felt a little flat to me. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a slow-paced thriller told in alternating points of view. It makes you question how good you can ever really know anyone.

After Jason's boss is found murdered, he is in an accident that leads to a medically induced coma. His wife, Julia, and his sister Sienna, are more than sisters-in-law. They are best friends and business partners. Each tells her side of the story as the plot advances as the police begin to suspect that Jason killed his boss. His coma means he can't tell his side of the story so the women are working to try to solve the murder and determine what Jason's involvement is before he wakes up.

The plot of this story was good, but it was a slow burner. The twist at the end didn't shock me too much. This was worth a read, but left me a little underwhelmed.

A sister is hiding a shameful secret. A brother is in the hospital after an unlikely accident. A wife is trying to hold her loosening family ties together. And an employer is shockingly found deceased with his lips sewn shut.

There's plenty to unpack in this slow-burn murder mystery! I really enjoyed her writing style and the complex familial dynamics told from their separate points of view . . . the prose is fully immersive and endearing. By the end, I was much more concerned with how these relationships would ultimately pan out than with who the killer turned out to be. I highly recommend this novel to big fans of domestic suspense.

I received an advanced copy of Thicker Than Water for my unbiased evaluation. 4 stars.

First off, I sincerely want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was easily one of my favorite books this year, and I don’t think I would have picked it up had I not been approved through NetGalley to read it.

This was my first book by Megan Collins but I’m going to immediately go binge her other works now. I sat down to start reading after putting my son to bed, and I didn’t get up again until I was finished with it almost 5 hours later. I’m usually a fast reader, but this was the first time in a long time where I was literally glued to my seat (and my couch isn’t that comfortable).

I absolutely adored the dialogue and the relationship between the two main characters, and I really liked how the author positioned their strengths and weaknesses to illuminate how much they each grew by the end of the book.

I also really liked that the overall theme of the book spoke to the idea that recognizing injustice isn’t enough, swift and appropriate action is needed. I really appreciated the way that the author framed several social issues that have been prominent in modern society, and how by the end of the book all characters recognized their shortcomings in perspective to their own involvement in those issues. One character was blindly devoted to her brother and refused to even question his morality- she only saw things in black and white, in right and wrong. But by the end, she was able to call out the bad parts of his character while still loving the good. Another character was too distance and silent to speak her needs, so she never really received what she needed; she suffered in silence. By the end, she recognized how she hid in her sister-in-law’s shadow as a means to never have to stand up for herself or to truly be uncomfortable around others. But she didn’t just acknowledge those shortcomings, she actively worked to fix them! How often does that actually happen, whether in fiction or in real life?

There was more character development that I could ramble on about, but I’m already skirting the boundaries of spoilers and I know that I’m going to cross that line of I keep going.

In all seriousness, this was such a good book. Maybe it’s because I lack a real sense of family in my life, but the way the bond between the two main characters was written just really drew me in and fleshed them out into real people.

I truly adored this book.

Love Megan collins!! Her thriller books are one of my favorites.
This book is about best friends and the things that come between them and connect them. The twists and turns of this book were so good. I’d highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all of Megan Collins' books to date. I'm not sure if it is my life circumstance (newly in graduate school) or the plot, but I cannot help but feel like this one fell a bit flat.

The dynamic built between Julia and Sienna is very good. I enjoy the growth both of them experience. But I was never drawn into the plot the way I expect with a Collins book.

While I may not have been wow'd, this will not keep me from reading, and hopefully loving, Megan Collins in the future.