Megan Collins is one of my go to authors but this book was a miss for me. The storyline was intriguing but once the book started moving I quickly lost interest and had no desire to find out why Gavin was killed or even who did it. The relationship with Julia and Sienna was so bizarre with the constant hand holding and the codependency of the relationship. I did like that the plot was not completely obvious from the start but the reasoning felt so forced and the reveals were anticlimactic and out of left field.

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

• domestic suspense + a touch of romance
• dual POV
• toxic relationships

This was a fast paced suspense with fun reveals along the way. I enjoyed the family relationship aspect, but there were a few plot holes. I would say this is more a family drama than a thriller.

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

2.5 stars.

This book was just very meh to me… I was really excited for it but I just couldn’t get into the characters at all. They were extremely obnoxious. The psychological element was compelling enough, but overall the story itself was just a slog and the ending wasn’t satisfying, but rather completely underwhelming. Just expected more from Collins is all!

"Thicker Than Water" by Megan Collins is a gripping and emotionally charged psychological thriller that immerses readers in a dark and haunting tale of family secrets, betrayal, and the complexity of human relationships. Collins' storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from the very first page.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to create a tense and suspenseful atmosphere that doesn't let up. Collins weaves a narrative that's both atmospheric and emotionally resonant, and her writing is nothing short of compelling. Her ability to create a sense of foreboding, toying with the reader's emotions, is truly exceptional.

The characters are intricately developed, and their complex, flawed natures make them all the more relatable and intriguing. The central theme of familial bonds is explored in a way that feels raw and authentic, showcasing the intricate web of relationships that shape the characters' lives. The protagonist's search for the truth is not only compelling but serves as a powerful lens through which to explore the depth of human emotions.

The plot is a maze of secrets and lies, and as the story unfolds, Collins masterfully peels back layers to reveal the truth beneath. The narrative structure keeps the reader guessing, with well-placed twists and turns that keep you hooked until the very end.

"Thicker Than Water" is more than just a psychological thriller; it's a thought-provoking exploration of the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love and the consequences of keeping secrets. It's a story that lingers in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page.

Megan Collins has delivered a truly engrossing and emotionally charged thriller that will resonate with readers who appreciate the intricate dance of family dynamics, secrets, and the dark corners of the human psyche. "Thicker Than Water" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys psychological suspense with a powerful emotional core.

Julia and Sienna are sister-in-laws and best friends. Julia’s husband Jason is Sienna’s brother. Jason’s boss is brutally murdered. Only a couple days after Jason is in a car accident and in a coma. He becomes a suspect in the murder. Julia and Sienna work together to find out the truth of what really happened. This book hooked me from the beginning and continued throughout the book! There were some shocking twists as well! I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks so much @atriabooks and @netgalley for this ARC!!!

I am a huge fan of Megan Collins and instantly had to read Thicker Than Water. What a tangled web of friendship and marriage in a tale that is both propulsive and filled with secrets. A five star read! Congrats to Megan.

I was hooked with this one! I loved the family dynamic that added an intensity and different perspective to the story. Typically you hear of sister-in-laws that don’t get along so I loved how this had the total opposite and the bond that they had!

Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Collins and Atria Books for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a slower paced novel than I was expecting, but I did enjoy the women’s tight friendships and how much they rely on one another. I did really enjoy the ending and the twists that end the story. I really enjoyed the writing.

“𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒙 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

Megan Collins' The Family Plot was a fantastic introduction for me to her writing; she nailed the dramatic family suspense, and so I was excited to see her tackle a similar subject in her latest.

This story centres around the deep soulmate bonds of best friends and sisters-in-law Julia and Sienna. When husband/brother Jason gets into an accident that leaves behind more questions than answers, the two embark on a journey of discovery and the meaning of guilt. Sienna lets her anger and sense of injustice drive her, while Julia lets her silence speak for her. Jason is seen as the empathetic saviour who is always willing to help anyone - but at what cost? The mystery of who killed Jason's boss and how was Jason involved is a bit of a slow burn, but the way Collins explores the danger of putting someone on a pedestal, and the disorientation that follows when they are discovered as being less than perfect is truly fascinating. As Julia and Sienna try to piece together the puzzle, there was a scene in a warehouse that reminded me of a duo from a classic tv mystery show. Collins’ writing has you flipping between believing both women’s points of view, bringing about an interesting look at perception and how what we think we know of people influences our versions of reality. Although I predicted part of the solution fairly early on, I was so invested in the story that I couldn’t wait to see how Collins made it to the end.

Thicker Than Water is a story of family, female friendship, secrecy, deception, and perception. It is more cozy mystery in feel than thriller compared to The Family Plot, but that makes it a perfect read for a winter day. Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC!

We ran a Substack interview with Megan Collins just after her launch day under the title:

Gold stars, red herrings, and writing on proposal: Megan Collins, queen of dark family secrets, shares her thriller (and TikTok) savvy

When Jason is in a coma and his boss is dead, his sister and wife come together to try to find out answers as to what happened. Along the way, they find out secrets and lies they weren't expecting which causes them to not only question the main men in their lives, but each other. The story showed a beautiful relationship between sisters-in-law and unwavering support of family. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs. There was suspense all the way through and I was engaged from the very beginning. Definitely recommend.

This one was definitely a slow burn! And even though murder and lies is a big part of the plot, the relationship between sister in laws is equally as strong. As far as the crime committed, I figured out the resolution pretty quickly but it didn't deter me from continuing to read it. I would definitely recommend this one, I was sucked in and hooked from the beginning.

This book was a fast paced turn pager. Multi pov, and continuous guessing on what happened throughout this book. I was not a fan of Julia, and found it hard to read about her as she made me want to shake her basically.

Good book. I enjoyed it, but not memorable. A must read if you like family drama. Thicker than water by Megan Collins.

First of all thank you to NetGalley, Megan Collins and Atria Books for allowing me an arc copy to review.

I enjoyed going back and forth between Julia and Sienna's versions of what was happening. The story is definitely a mystery/thriller, can be a bit gruesome in the descriptions of the murder. I had the mystery semi figured out about 2/3 of the way through the book, but still enjoyed finding out the details. I might say this would be a book for someone who is just getting into the thriller genre, but maybe not as satisfying for someone who is a thriller junky. Overall, I did enjoy the book, giving it a 3 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Thicker Than Water.

This is a story about Sienna's brother, husband of Julia, Sienna's BFF, and father to Aiden, who is accused of murdering his misogynistic boss in a brutal method.

As Sienna and Julia make like the Hardy Boys to try to figure out what their husband/brother was up to the night before the murder, they come to terms with their own complicated relationship and what it could be for their friendship.

First, having a man in common with your BFF is a recipe for disaster. How can you really trust a friend who is also your spouse's sibling? You can't really tell this person everything.

Second, the narrative is well written but not suspenseful or dramatic. It drags, it's repetitive as Sienna hooks up with an ex on and off, Julia wonders if she can really trust her husband at all, and each of them play their personal version of Nancy Drew.

This isn't even a procedural as the narrative is focused on Julia and Sienna's rambling, repetitive thoughts and the secrets they're hiding from each other, another trope in these types of books.

Sienna is steadfastly loyal to her brother to a fault, not that I blame her. Your siblings should have your back, but I also do believe that you can't ever really know a person, especially your family.

Julia is portrayed as meek, more passive, who eventually finds her backbone toward the end.

The perp is easy to figure out; there aren't many suspects to choose from.

Then, we get an un-fun info dump at the end explaining how everything happened. Ho-hum.

The characters were stereotypical; I didn't like or dislike anyone but I also didn't care about anyone.

I'm not sure I'll read the author's next book but I'm grateful for the opportunity to read Thicker Than Water before publication.

I thought this book had a lot of potential. A man is stabbed, strangled and his lips are sewn shut right at the beginning of the book! This brings all the makings of a great murder story, right? Nah … it sort of loses steam from there. It becomes more of a silly family drama that is chock full of weird and co-dependent behavior. I would’ve liked the murder story more!!!

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

"Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. , the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered".
A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond—and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name—the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband.". Will they stop fighting, is one of them the murder or will they work together to find the murder.
Lots of suspense, thrilling, kept attention, love Megan Collins books.
Thanks to atria books, netgalley, and the author for an honest review.
Published July 11th 2023

I read Thicker Than Water in one day. I was entranced by it from its opening pages. Sisters-in-law who are closer than sisters....Julia and Sienna's relationship was immediately interesting as very few fiction books have this dynamic so well on display. Julia's husband is Sienna's brother and his boss has just been murdered and is is looking suspect. These two ladies who are seemingly closer than family to each other see the cracks in their relationship neither knew were there. Julia recognizes sooner than Sienna that while Sienna's faith in her brother's innocence is complete and blind to any evidence otherwise, Julia's is not. The following examination of whether a relationship like their, built from each of their relationships with Jason, can survive knowing that for one of them Blood is Thicker than Water.

While I didn't love Julia's mousiness, I didn't find her as grating as I did Sienna. However, Sienna was sadly a very realistic portrayal of the contradiction in how one feels about transgressions depending on who commits them.

As a Mystery/Thriller, I would probably only give the book 3 stars as I didn't find that part of the book particularly compelling, but as an observation of a very realistic set of relationships, I think Thicker Than Water was great. I would recommend!

Super speedy read, and my interest was piqued throughout. Biggest roadblock for scoring this one higher is that I found Sienna insufferable. She was so righteous and made every single thing about her. However I really enjoyed Julia’s character development. The writing was solid as always.

Overall, entertaining and twisty.